The leadership council of South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) last week called for immediate cancellation of the transfer of Makal Country headquarters from Wau Shilluk back to Malakal Town.
This followed the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomoro’s announcement of a new plan by the revitalised government on the separation of Makal County headquarters from Malakal Municipality.
The move sparked condemnations from, not only SSOMA leadership, but youth and some Malakal Communities in the diaspora, calling for its immediate revocation to prevent potential threat it poses to peaceful coexistence of people of Upper Nile State.
In the statement issued on Saturday 13/3/2021, a day after the endorsement of the move by R-TGoNU, the leadership Council of SSOMA described the decision as unfortunate and unconstitutional policy of land grabbing.
“The Leadership Council of South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) is deeply disturbed by the unconstitutional decision made by R-TGoNU on 12/3/2021 detaching the historic Town of Malakal from Makal County. This unfortunate decision is not only unconstitutional, but it poses a serious security threat to the entire county leading to eventual total disintegration.
“This decision has no constitutional basis nor is it supported by the R-ARCISS. The Juba regime must immediately stop its policy of land grabbing,’’ the statement partly read.
Dr. Lam Akol, South Sudan prominent politician and leader of Democratic Change Movement said the move contravenes not only the revitalised agreement, but the Upper Nile State Constitution and the late Dr. John Garang’s 2004 order that established Makal County.
“The capital has always been Malakal Town when Malakal Municipality was introduced sometime between 2010 and 2012. Its capital coexisted with that of Makal County in Malakal Town, what is new this time around?” Dr. Lam was quoted by local media to have said.
Cholo Community living in Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Malakal Town petitioned the United Nations Mission in South Sudan to urgently pressure the government to reverse the decision to maintain peace in Upper Nile.
The six-point recommendations of the petition letter signed by ten Chollo community leaders in PoC demands for coexistence of Makal headquarters and Malakal Municipality together within the town.
“We do not have a problem having municipality led by a mayor coexisting with Makal county,” the letter addressed to UNMISS partially read.
However, some inhabitants of the strategic Malakal town of the oil rich Upper Nile State see the move as a tactful intrigue to taking over the area ownership by the government for selfish enrichment at the expense of the indigenous people.
Western Bahr el Ghazal State objected government’s similar decision to relocate Wau county headquarters. The phenomenon resulted to deaths of dozens when they took to the street demanding for its revocation in December, 2012.
Municipality, to them, would mean the land within its jurisdiction becomes gazette land, thus government’s and the indigenous inhabitants have no influence over.
The 2020 National Dialogue resolution recommended adaptation of 1st January 1956 boundary as well as maintaining the interim constitution that gives community rights over their land.
Wani Michael, Executive Director of Okay Africa Foundation and youth representative at the National Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC), said the national government neither has a constitutional right to change the name nor relocate headquarters of any place without the approval of State Council of Ministers.
Mr. Wani however called on the government to dialogue with Malakal citizens and resolve the matter to prevent escalation into violence.
“We know the decision was unconstitutional still the best way to resolve the case is to sit down with the angry community to resolve the matter,” Mr. Wani said.