By Charles K Mark
Security personnel have arrested and detained about eight youths, who were driving flock cattle from Kaya back to Kajo-Keji.
Kajo-Keji County commissioner, Phanuel Dumo Jame told this outlet that the herders were attempting to return to Kajo-Keji from Kaya, Morobo County.
He said the arrested cattle keepers are being held in a military barracks, awaiting their leaders in Kaya to advise them to return to their places of origin.
Mr. Dumo said the patrollers were tipped off by unusual and strange elements who were roaming within the trading Centre.
According to him, the detained herders have been interrogated to make them identify themselves and their movement.
“They said their leaders are still behind. So, we placed them there not for bad, but we are waiting for their leaders to talk to them and ask them to kindly go back,” the commissioner stated.
He alleged cattle herders seem to have left their herds in far bushes before they entered the Kaya Bridge trading Centre along the Juba-Kajo-Keji highway.
Mr. Dumo noted that the cattle camp youth disclosed that more animals are coming, inclusive of their leaders.
“My people are returning. “And yet, the condition that compelled my people not to come last year was because of this cattle invasion,” Dumo stated.
“And many of my farmers had lost their fields. They’ve been devastated by these animals,” he decried.
The Commissioner added that agricultural schemes in Kajo-Keji have been vandalized.
“So for this reason, I think people learned a lesson. And this time around, we don’t want to allow these animals back,” Dumo warned, adding that after he opened schools, no interference would be tolerated by the county authority.
Central Equatoria State cabinet recently received a report of fresh cattle invasion, triggering fears of looming farmer-herder conflicts.
The state governor, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, expressed deep concern about the roaming cattle herders, whose return in large numbers is likely to disturb the peace of farmers across the state.