Herd of cattle seen in the photo moving in the Juba city - Credit: Eye Radio/Koang Pal Chang - Oct. 7, 2018

Chiefs and intellectuals of the Mundari community have agreed to comply with Juba County Commissioner’s order to relocate their cattle from the area.

This was reached during a meeting between the County Commissioner and chiefs and intellectuals from the Mundari community at Kapuri of Luri Payam on Wednesday, January 25, 2023.

During the meeting with the County Commissioner, the chiefs unanimously agreed to obey the orders of the government and leave Juba as soon as possible.

Lodu Gubek, an intellectual of Kabura, has blamed the fighting on cattle theft.

He is now urging community leaders to disseminate messages of peace rather than violence.

“Comrade commissioner, take your time and manage your area and those people will go back to their area,” Chief Lodu said.

“You [commissioner] talk to the other side of the intellectuals of Tali people, our brothers, let’s be together and unite so that we send the right message to our people,

“We know very well that the root cause of the problem is cattle thieves, as you heard from them, the way forward is for those people to go back to their areas because we don’t want problems.”

For his part, James Loku Legge, an intellectual of Terekeka urged the authorities of Juba County to enforce law and order on those who are disobedient.

“We as the intellectuals of Terekeka in Juba, the reason why there is insecurity in Juba is that you instigate the citizens, so it is known that their leadership problem that is all. I am convinced these people can listen,” said Loku.

Eng. Charles Joseph Wani, the Commissioner of Juba County confirmed that the chiefs and intellectuals of Mundari agreed to move out the cattle from around and within Juba.

“The orders we gave to all the chiefs there, they have agreed to move out of the areas around and within Juba because the security situation in the past days was not stable,” said Commissioner Wani.

“They are also very sorry according to their words and they say they will agree with what the government says,

“I want to tell you my brothers, the Mundari of Kubora, these cattle should move out from all areas around Juba because we are preparing and waiting for the Pope and all the people coming with him. We want to have a peaceful and stable place/region”.

Last week, Juba County in Central Equatoria state witnessed several attacks and killings between cattle keepers from Tali and Terekeka.