By Bida Elly David
The authority of Juba City Council yesterday rejected and condemned the accusations labeled against them by some citizens over Kubri Haboba incident that left one trader dead and one injured at the process of eviction, terming it out of his jurisdiction.
This came following the accusation labeled against the city council authority after the young man was shot dead leaving another one injured on the flour.
Over the weekend, a young man was shot dead by an officer in the process of evicting them from occupying the bridge that was claimed to have been occupied by some traders for commercial activities.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper yesterday, Michael Lado Allah-Jabu the City Council Mayor denied their involvement at the incident that transpired at Kubri-Haboba market and terming it an area which was out of his jurisdiction.
Recently, Gudele town Council after the inauguration of Haboba Bridge (Kubri Haboba) has evicted a number of populations who were involved in trading businesses in the middle of the road. The eviction of the population has left many people to lose market space since the market within its circumference has become so narrow to the retailers.
“Yesterday I was surprised to hear people blaming Juba City Council’s administrative officer on the incident that happened yesterday in Kubri Haboba Market. When I received the message of blames about the incident that happened yet that area does not fall under my territory of service, I was surprised and distorted. I went to the site because I was told that my administrative officers and the police officers went to the market wanting to evict the people who were trading on the bridge squeezing it to be narrow. They said that we shot bullets on them and killed one and injured others. I have to go there and made it very clear to all the organized forces and the public telling them that the information concerning the act by the city council was not correct and the area does not belong to Juba City Council’’ the Mayor said.
Michael underscored that the only place that borders them with Luri Payam of Juba County is Doha Petrol station where their sign post was located and beyond that area, Juba City Council had no mandate to exercise rather the commissioner does.
“In fact as everybody knows and those who have eyes to see and hear to hear, Kubri Haboba is not under Juba City Council. Our border with Juba County and Luri Payam is in Doha Petrol Station which lies at Zain headquarters proceeding up the Mountains. Juba City Council in fact borders with Juba County in several areas because it comprises three block Councils namely, Juba block council, Kator Block council and Munuki block council. We have four to five boarders with Juba County, the border in Doha is at the Western part of Juba City. Next is at the River transport side, then at the South of Juba County, our border is at Juba Bridge. At that side of Lologo, our border is Kor Wollyang. It goes like that up to the national Ministry of Roads and Bridges where the tarmac road ends at Yei road. It continues up to Jebel Kujur up to Bilpam road. In Bilpam, our border with Juba County is at Ezentus Company’’ he said.
Further Michael reiterated passive media circulation of misinformation accusing Juba City Council over the murder of the trader and warned citizens who use the social media to spoil the image of the Council.
“I have been reading false information from the social media platform accusing us for shooting the young man and evicting the traders from occupying the bridge. We have not shot anybody neither did we injure any body and confiscate wheel barrows from retailers in the market. That information circulating was false’’ he said.