Governor Denay Chagor (blue shirt) Police Commissioner General Elia Costa (uniforms) and several state officials seen inspecting Marol Market in Bor. (-)

Jonglei State Minister of Land, Housing and Public Utilities has resigned from the high-level committee that was formed by Governor Denay Chagor to investigate alleged land mismanagement in the state capital Bor.

Abraham Mamer Kut said that he has left the committee after Deputy Governor Akec Dengdit, who is currently at loggerheads with Chagor over the issue, ordered all SPLM members appointed to the team to quit.

He also said he turned down the new role on the basis that he was not made head of the committee, although the issue is under his docket.

According to Mamer, the governor has opted to select the Minister of Roads and Bridges, James Mawich Makuach head of the committee.

“I have resigned because of the directives from my chair. In the letter written by my boss, he said all the SPLM members in the committee are to withdraw and should have immediately resign from the committee if you are part of SPLM system management,” Mamer said.

“We cannot violate the orders of my boss. Number two, what is going to be investigated are the land issue and the land issue are under my mandate as the minister. There is no need that the land issues are chaired by a different minister who is the minister of roads and bridges, and I am put as the deputy.”

“If it is a fact, I was supposed to be put as the chair, so I have resigned for these two reasons. Also, I cannot deputies the other minister who is responsible for another ministry and the issue is under my mandate.”

On October 19, 2023, Governor Chagor formed a high-level committee to investigate the former mayor of Bor Municipality over the conflicts involving land leasing deals in the state capital.

The seven-member team was to probe land auctioning, sell agreements and payments between companies and individuals.

The committee was also directed to suspend activities in some disputed land plots including the Women Group Plot, Zain Company Plots and Public toilet plots.

In response, Deputy Governor Akec rejected the formation of the committee investigating the former mayor citing unilateralism in the decision.

Mr. Akec said his boss Chagor had not consulted him before making the decision, in accordance with the 2018 peace agreement, which stipulates that peace parties must exercise cooperation and good working relations in the states.

Akec also accused Chagor of settling the land disputes through unconstitutional procedures, instead of using legal channels or cabinet meeting resolutions.

Meanwhile, Governor Chagor was seen on Monday leading the closing down of “illegal construction sites in and outside Marol Market in what signaled the beginning of the committee’s work.

The latest disagreement in the top executive of the state builds on previous wrangles, which started on March 24, 2023, when land minister Mamer was indefinitely suspended by the deputy governor.

Three days later, Governor Chagor reinstated Mamer and relieved Samuel Ateny Pech from the position of Bor mayor amid lingering allegations of land leasing to investors in the state capital.

Mr. Mamer previously said he might have been suspended because he canceled all the local arrangements made by the Bor town Mayor and gave those lands back to their owners.

Early this year, businesswomen selling vegetables, milk, fish, and other common commodities at retail prices in Bor took to the streets to protest the demolition of their selling point at Marol Market.

Following the demonstration, the Chairperson of Jonglei Civil Society Network threatened to take Bor Municipal authorities to court over the land rift between local traders and Bor mayor.

Bol Deng Bol accused the town mayor of allocating the land to unidentified rich investor “at the expense of the poor people.”