Villagers Fund 59 Km Road Project in Lainya County

(LAINYA COUNTY) – Construction of a 59 kilometre feeder road linking the villages of Loka, Limuro, Koyoki and Birigo in Lainya County, Central Equatoria State, has officially begun. The project started last week and is a community led effort after years of government inaction.

The road is expected to open up access to markets, schools, hospitals and improve security in the region. It is being funded by contributions from residents of Wuji Payam, who decided to take matters into their own hands after the county government failed to act on repeated requests for a road network since 2020.

According to Wuji Payam community leader, Oliver Batali, the area has been without a functioning road network since before the Anya-Nya war of 1955. He recalled that the community endured decades of hardship, including attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army and other armed groups, largely because of its isolation.

To raise funds, the community turned to local resources. Batali explained that revenue was generated through the sale of Afagilia Africana trees to timber companies. The money raised was used to hire road grading machines and cover fuel costs. However, progress has been slow. Work on the road began in March 2025 but stalled due to financial shortages.

“We were pushed to act when a woman in our community lost her two children because they could not be taken to a hospital in Lainya or Yei. There was no road, and she had to rely on herbal medicine. This tragedy forced us to open the road,” Batali said.

He stressed that once completed, the road will be a lifeline, enabling the movement of goods and services, improving agricultural trade, reducing insecurity, and supporting economic growth in the county.

“This road will solve many of the challenges we face, from insecurity and health emergencies to education and access to markets in Lainya, Yei and Kajo-Keji,” he added.

Local residents share the same optimism. Malish Lukadi, from Wuji village, said the road construction is one of the most important demands of the population.

“We are suffering here because of the lack of a road. Once this project is complete, we will be able to travel easily to Lainya centre, move to Uganda through Yumbe, and access schools and other services,” he said.

Loka-Birigo Road Construction Project in Lainya County