Citizens express their culture through vibrant dance during a peace and reconciliation rally in Yambio town on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Credit: Jackson Gaaniko/Eye Radio

YAMBIO, Western Equatoria State (Eye Radio) – Western Equatoria citizens are urgently appealing to President Salva Kiir to appoint a permanent governor, stating that the ongoing leadership vacuum harms governance, security, and intercommunal cohesion.

Speaking at a peace and reconciliation rally in Yambio on Sunday, June 15, they stated that this critical call comes five months after the removal of Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba in February 2025, which has left the state under interim leadership.

Community members, speaking during a peace and reconciliation rally in Yambio, expressed growing anxiety over the leadership vacuum.

“We have gone for five months without a governor. We are appealing to the government of South Sudan to appoint a permanent governor who can represent our interests and restore direction to the state,” one community representative stated.

“We are living peacefully, but we feel like orphans—without a father or mother to guide the state. We need peace, and that peace starts with stable leadership.” 

Insecurity Concerns and Call for Decisive Leadership

Citizens highlighted a worrying disparity in security within the state. “It is shocking that Western Equatoria still has no governor while other states do,” another representative noted. “In Yambio things may seem calm, but in Tambura and Nagero, insecurity remains due to tribal tensions.”

They continued, “In Yambio town, peace is there, but many rural areas are still affected by tribal conflicts. I appeal to the national leadership to appoint a permanent governor and not continue with just an acting one.”

While acknowledging the efforts of the current Deputy Governor, the sentiment was clear: “Deputy Governor Daniel Badagbu is doing his best, but it’s not enough. The state needs a governor who is fully mandated to lead and make decisions.” 

Traditional Leaders Emphasize Unity

Adding their voices to the growing appeal, traditional leaders underscored the need for solidarity across the state’s diverse ethnic groups. 

Sebit Angelo Obebe, the acting Prime Minister of the Azande Kingdom, specifically called for broad unity: “I urge all 64 tribes in Western Equatoria to embrace unity and promote peace within the Azande Kingdom and beyond.”

The state has remained under the interim leadership of the deputy governor since Governor Alfred Futuyo’s dismissal in February 2025.

This prolonged delay in appointing an official replacement is now fueling fears of a potential leadership crisis and the worsening of ethnic divisions if the vacuum is not resolved soon.

The community’s appeal stresses that a permanent, fully empowered governor is essential to steer Western Equatoria towards stability and lasting peace.