The location of Kajo-Keji County in South Sudan and Moyo District in Uganda - Courtesy

The governments of South Sudan and Uganda have formed a joint committee to resolve the border dispute near Kajo-Keji County.

The committee made up of 14 members was formed after locals in Kajo-Keji County protested the alleged occupation of some parts of the area by residents of Moyo Districts in Uganda two weeks ago.

While they protested, the Ugandan army, UPDF reportedly crossed into Kajo-Keji and opened fire on the demonstrators, killing a woman.

Following the incident, Central Equatoria governor, Emmanuel Adil dispatched a fact-finding committee to the border to assess the aftermath.

According to Cabinet Affairs Minister Goodwill Wayi Edward who headed the committee, the team met with its counterpart in Moyo District where they resolved to form a joint 14-member committee – seven from each side to investigate the incident.

He added that the committee and its Ugandan counterparts resolved that no people should be resettled in the area and significant activities along the porous border be discouraged.

This is until the joint committee decides on the next course of action.

“We also resolved that the committee go to the ground to get facts about where the incident happened before any action is taken to resettle anybody in that area,” Wayi said.

“We are happy that both sides were nominated members to the committee, seven from each side which we expect by the end of this week and will be able to render the report which will help us in the next course of action.’

The state official said part of the decision reached was in line with a previous resolution of the Presidents of Uganda and South Sudan that instructed the two communities not to indulge themselves in the issues of the border.

The joint committee then called on the civilians to continue excising trade and social-cultural activities to promote peaceful coexistence.

Minister Wayi says the renaming of territories inside Kajo-Keji County by locals from neighbouring Uganda triggered the recent border dispute.

He says his committee found out that civilians from Uganda were brought to Kajo-Keji where they started renaming some places in the area and installing local administration.

This is, he said, what prompted Kajo-Kjei inhabitants to protest the move.

“One of the major triggers of that incident was what the people of Kajo-Keji perceived as encroachment by their brothers from the neighbouring districts of Yumbe, Moyo and Kobok,” said Wayi.

“Their citizens [Ugandan] were brought in and started renaming places. That place is being renamed as Gweri North Sub-county under Moyo District,

“They [Ugandan] started installing LC3 and LC1 Chairpersons and this is what angered the community.”