By Lochio Lomornana,
June 4, 2015(Nyamilepedia) — Members of Eastern Equatoria State Youth Forum mainly from Ikotos and Budi county today pressured both the government and Rebel leader Dr Riek Machar for an additional state in eastern Equatoria state to make the total of 22 states under the federal system of governance.
In a report forwarded to new business times from Juba, Equatorian youth mainly from Budi county and Ikotos want the creation of new state lamenting that the current proposed 21 states under federal system left them isolated, saying the current decentralized system has so far isolated them further.
The term ”greater Torit and greater kapoeta” has been used to marginalized other counties both in jobs allocation and humanitarian organizations, this has been a basses of all inequalities, We are therefore calling upon Dr Riek Machar and president Kiir to accept the creation of Kidepo valley state, this is in accordance to SPLA vision of taking town to the people.
Youth also accused Eastern Equatoria Governor Lobong for corrupting the current map of Eastern Equatoria state saying he has redrawn a new map to benefit his own ethnic community, Governor Lobong came to power with ethnic costumes, he forwarded a wrong map to South Sudan bureau
of statistic in which all Buya and Didinga land has been reshaped and annexed to kapoeta North, East and south Respectively saying Lochio Lomornana secretary of Youth Forum.
Corrupting the national map alone is an espionage and a crime against the state, Governor Louis Lobong must be called to answer for destroying and disrespecting 1st 1st 1956 borders, Governor Lobong is the reason as to why Ugandans move deep into south Sudan territory of Eastern Equatoria state popularly known as Moyo sukun (hot spring). He is also the reason as to why Kenyans leave Lokichiogio and moved deep into Nadapal border point of south Sudan leaving Kibes their original border check point.
Charles Oriho, chairperson for Eastern Equatoria Youth Forum also accused Governor Lobong for malpractices saying we the youth of Ikotos don’t recognize this current map, we only recognize the map of the former governor Olosio Ojetuk.
The creation of Kidepo Valley state shall be the only problem solver to the massacres, killing, isolation, marginalization and cattle wrestling in Eastern Equatoria State, there can be no turning back to our demands, we want the two principals to respect the demand of youths of Eastern Equatoria State.
Kidepo valley State shall be the only state that borders two countries in South Sudan, Kenya to the East and Uganda to the south East. The decision of Kidepo capital city shall be left to chiefs and
technocrats of the state but youth have mentioned Chukudum, Lobira, Ikotos and Isoke as the proposed capital city of Kidepo Valley state.
The majority of Eastern Equatoria are yearning for federalism to be the form of governance in the coming interim government of national unity and in south Sudan. Federal system is a constitutional
arrangement in which the sovereignty of the nation is divided between the national and the state government which provide strong autonomy to various levels of the government unlike the decentralise system which only focuses on political autonomy ignoring adminstrative and fiscal aspects.
The majority of equatorians are seeing the desirable change to be brought by federalism than any system else. It has been proposed that under federalism, south sudan will be further divided into 21 states which may include Abyie in the future if border demarcation between Sudan and south Sudan is completed, but this current demand of Eastern Equatoria Youth shall put the numbers of state to 22 prior to the 21 proposed.
Under the proposal, it was recommended that the former three regions which Sudan divided into ten states in 1997 must be further divided under federal structure system. Upper Nile region to be further divided into eight states, Bahr el ghazal region divided into Seven states while Equatoria region divided into six states. The newly proposed Kidepo valley state by youth of Eastern Equatoria shall raised the number of states in Equatoria region to seven putting it in equal number with greater Bahr El Ghazal.
Many youths hail the idea of Kidepo valley state said Charles Oriho, we are going for it and nothing shall back us down.
You can reach the author at lomornana@gmail.com
4 comments
its sound like every tribe want to be independent state what a confused people inhabited in south Sudan>
Federal system of government is the best and most desired in E Equatoria.
However, the 3 governor of equatoria have shied away from calling federalism because the Dinka council of elders have warned them not to call it again.
Thanked the youth of equatoria for the demand.Madi and Acholi should demand their state eg,Fulla Federal state.
Remember demands withiot arm struggle will be dashed in rubish bin
So youth of East Equatoria should stand together to flush this genocidal gvt from marginalising the sons and daugthers greater equatoria.
Mundari needs Terekeka State
you this people you are joking about more states please just forget about states or federal systems in Republic of South Sudan, south sudan should be and it must be one state and region. know as the Equatoria region of south Sudan and we will see who’s taking nonsense about more state than one state in the Republic of south Sudan, the so called the federal Republic of South Sudan should don’t be the name of our country south Sudan this is deceive politics of Dr Riek M.Ebola to get support from the people who are tribalist and selfish like him. most people in south Sudan are sick about this division politics , we are one people, one state, and one Republic of south Sudan.