The call was made last Thursday during the visit of Governor Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba and United Nations staff to Mvolo County.
Commissioner John Kumu of the Sudan People Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) was appointed in 2021 by presidential decree and was suspended by Governor Futuyo last month.
A cross-section of residents told Radio Tamazuj that they are worried as they have been without a commissioner for a long time yet they sometimes face challenges of insecurity perpetrated by elements from neighboring Lakes State.
Victoria Ahmed Ismail said there are incidents of cattle raiding by people from Lakes State in Mapurdit and Mvolo which requires a commissioner to tackle.
“Here in Mvolo, we need the leadership of a commissioner who the communities want and can take the people ahead and not a commissioner who will be appointed from a different place,” she said. “We are at the border of Lakes State at the end of Western Equatoria and we have a lot of challenges.”
Another Mvolo resident, John Abuki, said the suspended commissioner was not able to handle the matter of cattle raids because he is still young and does not have tolerance. He advised that the new commissioner should be an older person who can control his or her emotions.
“The position of commissioner is a big position and the governor should be someone who is older in age and he must also be a trained soldier who is tolerant and can handle the administration of Mvolo Count,” he stated.
In response to the calls at the public rally in Mvolo, Governor Futuyo said a new commissioner will be appointed after the SPLM-IO decides on the matter. He asked the people of Mvolo to welcome and respect the commissioner who will be appointed whether they are young, old, disabled, or a woman.
“In our mission, we want to reach all the borders of Western Equatoria State so we came to Mvolo, we will go to Kediba and Nagero to assess the situation of the populations in case of any support from the UN and partners because it should be equal,” he said. “If we get a vision in someone (commissioner) who can support you, whether they are young, a woman, or a disabled person, please welcome the person because it is the vision we want, not the person.”
Meanwhile, one of the women leaders who spoke to Radio Tamazuj said women lack a meeting shelter and transportation yet women in other counties were built facilities and urged UN to build for them a center. She also appealed for transportation to move women from far-flung payams to meetings in Mvolo town.