(YEI, CENTRAL EQUATORIA STATE) – Emmanuel Taban Seme has been appointed Caretaker Commissioner of Yei River County, Central Equatoria State.
The appointment was announced by Central Equatoria State Caretaker Governor Augustino Jadalla Kamilo Wani. It took effect on 1st October 2026, following the governor’s signature, according to Access Radio Yei News.
The Office of the Commissioner for Yei River County confirmed the appointment in a statement released on Friday.
Under the same gubernatorial order, Kalisto Lado Faustino Nyigilo was appointed Caretaker Commissioner of Juba County, alongside other caretaker commissioners for the state’s six counties.
A Familiar Figure in Yei River County
Emmanuel Taban Seme is not new to the role of Yei River County Commissioner. He previously served as Commissioner of the county before his removal in March 2026, when President Salva Kiir Mayardit relieved 20 Central Equatoria officials, including three county commissioners, according to Africa Press Arabic.
During his earlier tenure, Taban Seme was known for his work on security, development and community engagement.
In March 2026, he officiated the reopening of the Yei River County Legislative Council after its operations were suspended in 2024. He said at the time that his top priority would be security, and pledged to work with security organs, youth, church leaders, traditional leaders and communities to restore peace.
He also noted that conflicts had caused destruction of lives and property and forced thousands of people to flee their homes across the five payams of Yei.
Development and Recovery Work
In February 2026, Taban Seme signed a grant agreement under the “Catalyzing Durable Solutions in Yei River County and Beyond” project during a ceremony held in Juba. The European Union funded project aimed at supporting recovery and reintegration in parts of South Sudan.
He described the initiative as timely and transformative, and expressed the gratitude of the people of Yei River County.
Political Leadership
Taban Seme also serves as the SPLM Chairman in Yei River County. In January 2026, he opened an SPLM symposium in Yei with more than 200 participants, describing the gathering as an important platform for rebuilding trust, strengthening party structures and promoting peaceful political engagement.
“We are ready for the elections. I urge all members to encourage citizens to register with the SPLM so that our party becomes stronger and more representative,” he said at the time.
Residents Call for Quick Deployment
Residents of Yei Town have welcomed the appointment, while calling for his immediate deployment to address growing insecurity in the area.
Community members said the county had experienced a surge in security incidents, including reports of murder, rape, robberies and road ambushes. They said the absence of county leadership had created a vacuum that contributed to the challenges.
Johnson Poru Hillary, a resident of Yei Town, said there was a need for intervention. He asked the caretaker governor to send the commissioner to address the emerging problems.
Sultan Kenyi Elisha John, an area headman in Hai Peace, also welcomed the appointment and stressed the need for a speedy deployment. He said Yei had recorded many security challenges, including road ambushes and the killing of a secondary school student in the Luparate area.
Modi Arkangelo, Head of the Yei Civil Society Forum, urged the state government to ensure the commissioner assumes office without further delay.
“The commissioner is the chairperson of security at the county level and we want to call on the state governor to urgently send the commissioner to Yei by next week to carry out his administration in the county,” Arkangelo said.
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