State ministers to be quizzed over Kajo Keji’s insecurity and logging

Central Equatoria State parliament has summoned three ministers to answer queries on insecurity and illegal logging in Kajo Keji County.

They include the ministers of local government and law enforcement,  agriculture, forestry, animal resources and fisheries. Joining them also is the Kajo Keji county commissioner.

The parliament met in Juba on Wednesday to address the lack of progress in providing security, and to answer questions fielded by the people of Kajo Keji to the three ministries.

 In August 2020, the community of local community presented a community complaint to the Governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony.

The leaders of Nyepo Payam in Kajo Keji County then submitted a complaint in July 2021 because the logging business continued extensively with impunity, a legislator, Milla Amose Peter, revealed.

“The governor issued an order tasking the ministries mentioned to implement the ban on the logging business in the state on October 9.  Despite issuing several executive orders, the logging companies continue unabated, “he said.

Peter alleged that, to date, trucks having Ugandan number plates are entering Kajo Keji ferrying logs across to Uganda.

In March 2022,  unknown gunmen killed one SSPDF soldier in Kansuk Boam and burnt three trucks, five cranes, two tractors, seven machines, and five motorbikes that bore Ugandan number plates.

Peter added that on March 6, 2022, at around 10:00 pm, one of the SSPDF soldiers went on a rampage and killed one civilian, Wani James Sula, in the neighbouring village of Gumbo of Kansuk Boam, and that the suspect has not been apprehended up to date.

“Following these incidences, “citizens have been subjected to arbitrary arrest, harassment, and intimidation,’’ he said.

The acting director of Nyepo Payam is currently under detention in the main military barracks of Kajo Keji County.

The ministers are expected to provide an answer on why no arrests have been made due to insecurity and why the logging business is still thriving.

 “Explain what administrative and legal steps your ministry has put in place to mitigate future occurrences of security incidents in Kajo Keji?,” one question read.

However, according to CES, none honoured the summons and they failed to provide a reason for their absence.

When asked why the ministers did not appear, the chairperson of the CES Information Committee, James Modi Lomindi, when asked why the ministers did not appear, he said, “These ministers are given a lot of assignments, particularly the minister of local government who is also in charge of security.” The county commissioner from Kajo Keji is supposed to be arriving here, there are situations that sometimes dictate the presence of these commissioners.  So very soon they will be here for the second sitting, and you will be able to ask questions of them” he said.