Cattle Herders Told to Vacate Kajo-Keji County

(Kajo-Keji) — Cattle herders from Nyankole, Bor, Terekeka, Falata, and Ambororo have been directed to evacuate Kajo-Keji County in Central Equatoria State and return to their places of origin, in accordance with a 2017 Presidential Order.

This directive was issued at the conclusion of a consultative peace dialogue held in Kajo-Keji town on Sunday, aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict between herders and farmers.

Participants in the dialogue — including community chiefs, local government officials, and cattle keepers — agreed that the South Sudan government must enforce the presidential directive and cease the collection of taxes from herders by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).

The dialogue also resolved that Kajo-Keji County authorities should convene a meeting with chiefs from Nyankole and Falata, along with property owners and local leaders, to create a timeline for the evacuation of cattle and to explore peaceful means for their movement. The Kajo-Keji Follow-up Committee will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of these resolutions.

Additionally, the dialogue recommended the relocation of SSPDF forces currently stationed in civilian areas to strategic border positions, in order to enhance local security and safeguard the country’s territorial integrity. It was also recommended that police forces be deployed in civilian areas to improve safety and maintain public order.

The peace dialogue was organized and facilitated by the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative, in collaboration with the RSRTF consortium and Kajo-Keji County authorities.

Bush Buse, Program Coordinator for Whitaker, told Access Radio that the dialogue sought to identify challenges and solutions regarding peaceful coexistence between farmers and pastoralists in the area.

Buse stated, “It is a collaborative approach to resolving conflicts between farmers and cattle herders. The discussions focused on the urgent issues of farmland destruction by cattle and conflicts arising between farmers and herders.”