Otto David Remson, Commissioner of Magwi County addressing the IDPs on Saturday in Magwi. Photo credit: Richard Kamao

The Commissioner of Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State is calling on the government and humanitarian actors for an emergency relief aid to over 5,000 Internally Displaced Persons in the area.

On Wednesday, cattle herders that recently arrived  in the area reportedly occupied villages in Agoro-Somboro area displacing the entire communities there.

This, Mr. Otto David Remson said has left 5,445 people homeless as of Saturday.

“Since yesterday (Sunday), we have registered 909 households and the total population is  5,445 and above and still RRC is making the registration”, Otto David told Eye Radio on Saturday.

He now says, the IDPs mainly women, children and elderly currently resettled in Magwi lack of shelter, food and medicine and clean drinking water.

“We call the national government through the department of the RRC so that the emergency support should be given to the people coming from the site”, Remson said.

Otto called on the government to intervene and find a solution to the growing tension between the local communities and the cattle keepers there.

“The national government need to intervene and make sure that we reinforce the security of the population leaving that side.”

About two weeks ago, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Luis Lobong said the influx of the herders was frightening returnees who are trying to resettle and rebuilt their lives.

Last week, legislators representing Magwi County in the national parliament then called on President Salva Kiir to enforce a decree he issued in 2017 ordering cattle keepers to move all their livestock out of the greater Equatoria region.

This call came after the governor of Eastern Equatoria state raised concern over what he calls a threatening influx of herders into the state.

In 2017, President Salva Kiir issued a decree ordering cattle keepers to move all their livestock out of the greater Equatoria region.

A committee was also set up to ensure that the animals were returned to their respective states.

However, the decree seems to have not been implemented due to unclear reasons.