Some cattle grazing in agricultural land. (Photo: File/Courtesy).

A traditional leader in Lokiliri Payam in Juba County has expressed concerns about an influx of livestock that are reportedly grazing on farmlands in the harvest season.

Kastori Modi, the Chief of Ngerjebe in Lokiri Payam complains about loss of crops and risk of violence, a situation that bring back memories of the 2022 violent conflict where 10 farmers were killed by herders there.

Mr. Modi said the cattle have been coming from the side of Juba, adding that he had notified the local security authorities since September to ensure the issue is addressed before hand.

However, he said despite the early warning, the matter has not been resolved and appeals to the government to take immediate action before tensions escalate further.

“When I returned from the country, the same problem that happened in 2022 and caused the death of 10 people has begun to appear on the horizon now, as the herders have begun to return to the area,” he said in an interview with Eye Radio.

“Currently, there are large numbers of cattle tied up at the first bridge in the Nesitu area. I appeal to the government to intervene, and these cows are coming from Juba via the new bridge, and currently, some of these cattle have reached the farms and some have been destroyed.”

In recent years, incidents of conflict have been reported between farmers and cattle keepers in Juba County and other parts of the Equatoria region.

In 2023, former Central Equatoria State Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony dispatched a team of state cabinet ministers and security personnel to cattle camps in Kajo Keji, Morobo, Yei, and Lainya counties to persuade pastoralists from Bor in Jonglei State to return home with their cattle.

In August 2024, the Commissioners of Juba and Terekeka in Central Equatoria state issued a joint departure order to regulate the movement of cattle keepers between the two counties.