View of Malakal town in Upper Nile State. (File/Courtesy)

The government of Upper Nile State has denied reports that it is planning to move the headquarters of Makal County from Malakal town to Wau Shilluk area.

The denial comes after public uproar in the state over reports that Governor James Koang Chuol was planning to relocate the county offices.

Malakal town currently serves as the seat of both the state and Makal County.

The speculation was fueled by the governor’s recent visit to Wau Shilluk town in Ugod Payam, which some interpreted as a sign that state authorities now recognise the area as the new headquarters of Makal County.

It was also alleged that the governor did not travel with the Makal County Commissioner, which some viewed as unusual.

However, Peter Ngwojo Akwiny, the state Minister of Information and official spokesperson, said there is no such decision from the government.

“The Governor visits the northern counties of the state and, at the end of his trip, passes through all these areas. His passage through Wau Shilluk Payam is not an announcement that Wau Shilluk is the headquarters of Makal County,” he said.

He urged citizens to ignore unverified information spreading on social media and rely only on official sources.

“I would like to clarify that this is completely untrue and as a member of the delegation as well, I deny this talk completely, and I call on people to exercise self-restraint and not to exploit the governor’s visit to achieve a political agenda, because there are people who have started threatening the governor’s visit to Wau Shilluk on Facebook, and this talk is completely rejected,” he added.

Akwiny stressed the government’s commitment to transparency and open communication with the public.

This is not the first time the issue has caused controversy.

In 2021, a similar move by the then state governor  sparked widespread criticism, eventually forcing the government to abandon the plan.