Juba City Mayor, Michael Ladu Allah-Jabu-Courtesy Photo
By Adia Jildo
The authorities of Juba City Council are in the process of changing names of streets within Juba town. The Mayor of Juba City Council Michael Lado Allah-Jabu said his office is yet to propose executive body to change names of some streets and residential areas in Juba.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, the Mayor said there are not less than 15 residential areas that bear names that sound bad, and others are without historical background.
He further said that some names do not reflect the context of the people of South Sudan, neither had historical background to the liberation movement that led to the independence of the country.
He cited some names such as Rujal mafi, Libas mafi, Hai Turuju, Atlabara, Hai Zendia, Hai Fadiya mafi are to be changed because of their meaning.
“We want to prepare the real Juba with the good names of roads and residential areas so that people are able to describe whenever one wants to get a place, you will be described by the name of the road and the residence,” he said.
Allah-Jabu said only titles that bear names relating to the liberation struggle or the historical backgrounds in South Sudan will be maintained, including those that had good meaning.
“Names like Munuki, Hai Seminary, Hai Jebel, Supiri, Hai Buluk, and Nimra Talata these names represent us. It was in 1965 when Arabs were burning down Wau and Juba was when this place Atlabara came in,” he narrated.
He stressed that most of the names that are to be named within the streets and residential areas are supposed to be historical names of the people of South Sudan or the country with backgrounds or even related to the event that happened to the country.
The Mayor noted some small areas with names that do not reflect the context needed and will be amalgamated to areas near it. He said markets such as Rujal mafi will be changed when a modern market/mall is constructed in that area.
He said the idea will be deliberated by the local council, taken to the higher authorities and later for final confirmation.
“Once we come out with those proposals, we will make it public to people to know and see the feedback and then we will decide,” he said.
He stated that, it’s the obligation and the mandate of the local council to name roads according to the local government’s Act.