The Governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, has pledged to stabilise the security situation in the state.

During an extraordinary meeting of the State Council of Ministers held on Monday, Mr Adil said his leadership would continue to engage the holdout groups to denounce violence and join the peace deal.

He directed the state ministry of housing and local government to continue applying mechanisms to address the issue of land grabbing by planning for the survey and demarcation processes.

“The government will formulate laws which shall regulate cattle from moving from one place to another and has tasked the ministries of animal resources and local government to create necessary mechanisms in regards to the matter,” he said.

“Communal conflict governments, together with other partners, will intensify efforts geared towards rebuilding the social fabric and devise more mechanisms for conflict resolution and management at all levels,” he added.

He stressed that ‘‘coordination with humanitarian and development partners, state leadership and other government institutions should exhibit the spirit of cordial coordination with partners and tap into their potential plans for the full realisation of tangible services to the people of Central State’’.

The governor said the state government will soon start using electronic revenue collection as a way to intensify its collection to facilitate key government activities.

“As for the repatriation of the camping population from the refugee camps; the state leadership shall take robust measures to create a conducive environment for the dignified repatriation, resettlement, and reintegration of the refugees and returnees across the state, as well as stabilise the security situation,” he said.

Recently, the leader of the Olubo community, which resides along Juba–Nimule road, has appealed to the government to close down the cattle camps in the area.

According to Longino Michael Cook, the Chairperson of Olubo Community, the camps are a major source of insecurity and human displacement. 

Longino said cattle herders have invaded eight villages, namely Nesitu, Ngeli, Chalara, Kubi, Aru Junction, Nyolo, and Kit, resulting in mass destruction of crops that communities depend on.

Longino said some residents have been forced to flee alongside the returnees due to the increased number of cattle camps that attracted raiders from greater Pibor who also hunt for children. The returnees had just come from Uganda.