The members of the Eastern Equatoria State legislative assembly who hail from Ikotos County have raised the alarm over what they described as border encroachment by neighbouring Uganda.
Ikotos County’s Bira, Lofus, Tseretenya, and Kalabong payams border Uganda and the lawmakers say certain areas have been invaded by Ugandan elements.
The legislators voiced their concerns during the presentation of their 8-paged recess report of the Ikotos County parliamentary caucus to the state parliament on Monday.
Alphonse Muras Chacha, a member of the state parliament on an SPLM ticket, told the house that Uganda had encroached on lands along the common border at various points.
“Uganda has encroached tremendously into our territories from Bira, Lofus, Tseretenya, Kalabong (Loguru), and Issore. This incursion needs some urgent intervention from our state and the national governments otherwise this will remain a time bomb for generations,” he said. “There is also a total blackout of the telephone network in Lobira, Ramula, Lotome, Bira, Lofus, Tseretenya, Loguru, Issore, and Hatire.”
“The community is requesting for the installation of the telephone network to help curb and deter some security threats in those areas,” he added.
The speaker of the Eastern Equatoria State legislative assembly, Severino Maira Janus, recused himself from discussing border issues, saying the house had no powers to handle the matter.
“The Independent Boundaries Commission (IBC) is responsible for any border and we here as lawmakers do not want to drag ourselves into a conflict of no meaning,” he said. “We are here to solve the problems of Eastern Equatoria so I do not want to open that part. I want to say let us continue and we shall make our recommendations to our government in the state under the leadership of Governor Louis Lobong Lojore.”
“I know that in the past there was a problem about Issore and one time some of us were to be put in jail but let this case rest until the IBC looks into it,” Speaker Maira advised.
Meanwhile, an SPLM-IO legislator from Lafon County, Visor Likale, criticized the speaker for blocking issues in parliament in the name of IBC, saying the house has the prerogative to discuss and come up with resolutions over burning issues.
“When you go and read the article about the IBC, it does not restrict parliamentarians from solving problems. Let us also accept that we can address the issue in good faith because these MPs raising these issues are representing the people,” he charged. “So, let us not always block things by using the IBC because if we go deep into the IBC, it does not restrict parliaments or ministers in the country and if there is a problem, indicators have to be addressed.”
The report also highlighted other issues affecting Ikotos County related to agriculture, insecurity, health, education, poor roads, and lack of a telephone network.