By Theophilous Ochang

The Governor of Eastern Equatoria state, Louis Lobong has directed Magwi County commissioner to convene a meeting with the Jonglei cattle herders and advise them to leave the area.

The governor issued the statement after receiving a report from Magwi County Commissioner in Torit on Tuesday.

“In reference to this report, His Excellency the Governor made it clear and it is obligated that the honorable commissioner needs to sit down and advise the cattle herders to go back to their areas of their origin,” said Oringa John Godfrey, the press secretary in the office of the Governor, while speaking to journalists in Torit yesterday.

Lobong called on the communities along the Magwi corridor to remain calm as the government addresses the challenge brought about by the influx of cattle to the area, saying the law will be applied to take care of the farmers as well as handle the pastoralists.

“The most important thing is that they (people) should remain calm since there is the law that will take its course. If your farm is destroyed, you should open a case since this is where you make your income. This is where you get what to take care of your family from, where your children will get their fees for education from and where you feed your household,” he said.

On his part, Magwi County Commissioner, Pole Pole Benjamin, confirmed that the cattle had left a huge destruction of the farmlands in their trail as over 10,000 herds were reportedly in the area and more were anticipated.

Benjamin said the pastoralists occupied the two payams of Iwire and Agoro Payam of Magwi County.

“On Monday, we went with the County Security Committee to assess the extent of destruction of the farms by the cattle. We realized that the number of cattle in the area was huge. Over 10,000 herds of cattle were in Magwi county and there was some word that more could follow them,” he said.

According to the Commissioner, two trucks carrying children, women and men arrived in Nyolo Boma of Agoro Payam and they occupied a primary school in the area, which could affect the ongoing registration of pupils for the current academic year.