By Kidega Livingstone
Top leadership of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) from the Equatoria region has urged President Salva Kiir Mayardit to address the rampant issue of land grabbing in the region.
The SPLM leaders, who are at the core of the ruling party, acknowledged that land grabbing, particularly in Central Equatoria State and some major towns in the region, is being carried out by individuals for their benefits.
The alleged land grabbing by armed men and some government officials in Juba has harmed the population.
Speaking during the endorsement of President Salva Kiir as the SPLM’s presidential candidate for the December 2024 elections, Vice President for Economic Cluster, Dr. James Wani Igga, stated that the land grabbing-related issues are a real problem in the region and need to be addressed by President Kiir.
“Land grabbing is a real issue, and your Excellency, you should take some measures as an able leader to address the problem. There are people who come in the name of feeding their cattle, but those are the landgrabbers. There are also soldiers deployed in one of the areas where these people want to grab land,” he said.
Governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong Lojore, also acknowledged that there are some individuals who are illegally acquiring land for commercial purposes and their own benefits.
“Sincerely speaking, His Excellency, there is illegal and unprocedural acquiring of land by some individual South Sudanese whose initial intention is to acquire land for commercial purposes and not to live in, and for me, I put these are the people who are raiding the land,” he added.
The SPLM leaders appealed to the national government to fully support the government of Central Equatoria State in addressing issue of land grabbing.
Last month, National Ministry of Land had announced the formation of a committee to address land grabbing cases in the country.