South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit today inaugurated a maternity hospital named Kiir Mayardit Hospital in Rumbek town of Lakes State, amid reports of insecurity in parts of the state. 

The Kiir Mayardit Hospital will provide services to children and women in the state. Besides inaugurating the hospital, President Kiir also laid the foundation stone for a branch of the Central Bank of South Sudan in Rumbek.

The president’s visit to Rumbek comes after a period of high political tensions in Juba. This was the first time for Kiir to travel from Juba to any other place in the country since December.

Lake State Minister of Information and Communications Mariik Nanga Mariik told Radio Tamazuj the president came to open Kiir Mayardit Hospital, which he said was now the largest in the state.

The minister said the Chinese have donated one million dollars for the hospital, adding that medicines would also be supplied by the state and national health ministries.

Clashes at cattle camp

Mariik Nanga Mariik told Radio Tamazuj in the same interview that there were clashes between local youths and cattle raiders from Unity State in Rumbek North County when the attackers attacked Alor cattle camp on Sunday at 8:00 a.m.

Mariik said he was not sure of the number of people killed and cattle stolen, since the clashes were still underway.

“The attackers were believed to be the rebels from Unity State,” he claimed.

The minister asked the people of South Sudan to use dialogue as the means of pursuing their rights rather than violence.  

Ambush in Rumbek North

A county commissioner and security official were ambushed while en route to Rumbek last Thursday, Sudan Tribune reported.

Rumbek North Commissioner Marial Machar Aweckoc reportedly escaped unhurt, while Makur Kucdit Dhor, the county head of the criminal investigation department (CID) sustained injuries during the attack.

The ambush happened at Buoi village near the former military prison at Longcok.

A youth who preferred anonymity claimed the attack was to prevent the commissioner from witnessing President Salva Kiir’s visit to Rumbek on Sunday.

He questioned why Kiir was silent on calls for removal of the caretaker governor, Matur Chut Dhuol, saying “We will remove him by all means.”

Dinka pastoralist youths in Lakes State are reported to have resisted military recruitment drives, after Governor Matur called for mass mobilization against the SPLM-IO forces of Riek Machar.

Disarmament in Lake State

Lakes authorities are attempting to carry out a disarmament exercise since about a week ago. The voluntary process will involve sultans and youth representatives at the local levels, according to remarks made recently by the governor.

So far the state claims to have collected 80 guns from two warring clans in Rumbek East County.

Lake State the Governor Matuor Chut speaking on the 9 July independence day announced the disarmament exercise but did not specify when exactly it will start.

He explained that after the first ‘voluntary’ phase, armed forces will search for guns house-to-house.

File photo: Salva Kiir Mayardit

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