By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Former Speaker of South Sudan National Legislative Assembly, Anthony Lino Makana, has urged the Acting Governor of Western Equatoria State, Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa, to consider temporarily relocating the state capital from Yambio Town to Tambura County.
This move, Makana stated, would address the surging insecurity in the area.
Makana highlighted that Tambura County is among the areas in Western Equatoria State most severely affected by the 2013 and 2016 conflicts, as well as recent violence that erupted in Yambio town following the removal of the former Governor, which subsequently spread to surrounding counties, including Tambura.
The former Speaker emphasized that the ongoing conflict in Tambura County has significantly hampered farmers’ access to agricultural land, consequently threatening food security for both the local population and the state at large.
“The insecurity situation in Tambura County is quite alarming, with frequent attacks, raping of women, ambushes, kidnappings, killings, and arson attacks. People are unable to access their farms. This suggests that in the near future there will be a cry of famine,” Makana warned.
Makana’s proposal to relocate the state capital draws inspiration from a similar strategy implemented by Lakes State Governor Rin Tueny Mabor. Mabor’s decision to move the Lakes State capital to conflict zones led to a drastic reduction in insecurity cases.
Makana argued that restoring stability in Western Equatoria State’s conflict zones, particularly Tambura County, requires a proactive leader who prioritizes the safety and well-being of citizens.
He added that once the security situation normalizes, the state capital can be returned to Yambio Town.
“Your leadership needs to draw similar experiences from the neighboring Lakes State. Now, Lakes State is seen as the best state in the country in terms of security, citizen safety, and observance of the rule of law. You need to build upon this initiative of Lakes State, tailoring it to the current security challenges facing Western Equatoria State in general and Tambura County in particular,” stressed the former speaker.
Makana further suggested that after relocating the state capital, Acting Governor Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa should engage with local communities to understand their major concerns and address the root causes by forging solutions to the identified problems.
He also advised Rimbasa to foster partnerships with security agencies and stakeholders to address the current and escalating security situation in Tambura County and beyond.
This includes establishing joint security patrols within major towns across the states and along the highways.
The former policymaker additionally suggested building a strong intelligence network capable of gathering information and conducting surveillance to proactively identify and disrupt criminais networks.
Furthermore, Makana recommended judicial reforms within the state judiciary to effectively prosecute criminals found committing various types of crimes within Western Equatoria State.