A group of community leaders in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area’s (GPAA) Jebel Boma County has disowned another community leader for writing an apology letter to Eastern Equatoria State distancing his community from the recent remarks by the area’s chief administrator.
Last week, Korok Logello, the head of the Jebel Boma Community, wrote to Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore apologizing for the recent remarks made by his GPAA Chief Administrator Gola Boyoi Gola. During the recently concluded Governor’s Forum, Gola and Lobong had a heated exchange with Gola accusing his Eastern Equatoria State counterpart of blocking the lifeline road to GPAA, leading to a scarcity of food and other commodities.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, James Ibon, a community chief and the head of the bench court, said they have ousted their leader for criticizing the chief administrator. He said he acted on his own and that his actions were politically motivated.
“Everything the chief administrator said at the Governor’s Forum was representative of our voice. It is true that Eastern Equatoria State has blocked the road to GPAA and is causing insecurity for us,” he stated. “So, it was remiss of Korok Logello to write to Louis Lobong without consent.”
Ibon added: “So, we are publicly coming out to disown Korok Logello because no one even elected him as our community leader and he had been acting on his own.”
A youth leader, Allan James Ngarcho, confirmed the ouster of their community leader and revealed that arrangements are underway to install a new leader.
“We are not happy that Korok Logello is misrepresenting us. For this reason, we disowned him because he even stays in Juba,” he stated.
For her part, Mary Medina, the Jebel Boma women’s representative, called for reopening the road to GPAA through Eastern Equatoria State.
“As women, we are unhappy that we are suffering. There is no sugar, flour, or oil. So we want the road reopened. The move by Korok Logello was political,” she said.
Several attempts to reach the embattled community leader, Logello, who also serves as a lawmaker were futile.