By Taban Henry
Local authorities in Magwi County are calling on the national government to speed up the evacuation of cattle herders.
Earlier this year, authorities in Magwi County of Eastern Equatoria State reported a high influx of cattle in the area and warned of possible conflict between cattle keepers and farmers.
Last month hundreds of residents of Agoro-Somboro Village of Magwi County fled the area after an attack by cattle keepers leaving one person killed that later left 5 people dead and 3,000 people displaced to other parts of the county.
In the last two weeks, the national government deployed forces in order to escort and evacuate the cattle keepers from Magwi but little attention is paid.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Magwi County Commissioner David Otto Remson called on the national government to speed up the evacuation of cattle herders adding that there is low turn-up in the movement of cattle keepers from the area while adding that cattle have moved from some parts of Magwi but still occupying parts of Madi corridor.
“The cattle keepers have started their evacuation but the turn up is very law and this is worrying the communities living in Magwi because the communities have embarked on cultivation so the communities are in fear of their lives and their crops,” Otto said.
According to the Commissioner, among the areas occupied are Mugali, Melebo, Achwa including Rock city of Nimule town.
“Right now there are cattle in Magwi County in parts of the Madi corridor parts of Mugali, Melebo, Achwa and Rock city of Nimule town are among the places where the cattle keepers are occupying, they are really disturbing the communities living in the areas they are occupying,” he said.
Otto is calling on the cattle keepers to understand the request from the host communities and the government force deployed to escort them to their places of origin.
He further appreciated the state government and the people of Eastern Equatoria state for hard work, they did in making sure that cattle keepers leave Magwi County.
“The national government has to put the issue of the cattle keepers as a priority to silience the cases of insecurity caused by the prevalence of cattle keepers because they are well armed and terrorizing the lives of people killing and burning of people in houses is not good for the image of the country,” he hinted.
The commissioner mentioned that people in Eastern Equatoria particularly Magwi are peace loving while calling on the people to continue with peaceful co-existence adding that the state government has set strategies on how to evacuate the cattle herders out from the state.