Cattle keepers who fled into the eastern counties of Western Equatoria since the 15 December crisis have started to leave the state, a local chief confirmed. Many of the herders were from Jonglei, one of the most conflict-affect states of South Sudan.

This comes after chiefs and elders at a conference on 24 June with the migrant pastoralists insisted that they leave the state. The traditional leaders of Maridi, Mvolo, Mundri East and West counties set a deadline of 15 July for the cattle keepers to leave.

The chiefs had accused cattle keepers of grazing their animals on cultivated areas and causing insecurity that prevented people from gathering honey and other materials from the forests.

Speaking to Maridi FM yesterday, County Commissioner Wilson Yanga confirmed that the cattle keepers have already relocated out of the county.

“I want to say to the people of Maridi, I am very happy with the groups of cattle keepers who were staying at Mambe, Amaki, Ras Wolo, and those places. Currently there are no cattle camps in Maridi, at all. In those places they are gone, in all they five payams there are no more cattle camps,” he said.

Maridi FM has yet to confirm whether the pastoralists have moved out of the other counties like Mvolo and Mundri East.

File photo

Related coverage:

Chiefs at Mundri want herders to leave by mid-July (25 June)

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