The authorities in Kapoeta East County in Eastern Equatoria State have accused Turkana tribesmen from neighbouring Kenya of raiding 20 head of cattle from the area.
Kapoeta East County Commissioner Angelo Abdalla Lokeno told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that several incidents of cattle rustling were orchestrated by the Turkana last week and that local youth severally managed to confront the raiders and rescue the stolen cattle.
On 31 May, a 14-member committee of the Kenyan government visited Torit to find solutions to the border conflict and agreed with their Eastern Equatoria State counterparts to restore peace between the Toposa and Turkana.
Commissioner Lokeno said that the Kenyan authorities have not implemented the resolutions of a joint meeting held in Nadapal four days ago.
“Also, the Turkana came and raided Toposa cattle in Nakodok, but the Toposa youth were able to intercept and return those cattle. They raided calves from the airstrip side, and again, the youth rescued them. Yesterday (Monday), they took 40 head of cattle but the Toposa returned those cattle and killed one Turkana raider,” he explained. “We told the Kenyan authorities to stop their people from rustling and we will also control our people but raiding occurred four times and all the cattle were recovered apart from 20. Yesterday (Monday), they told me that they have gathered 15 cattle, but until now, they have not brought them so we do not know if it is true.”
“They said 15 but they raided 20 head of cattle,” Lokeno added.
Meanwhile, Takan Carl Peters Lolib, the leader of the youth in Kapoeta East County, confirmed the frequent cattle raiding incidents in the county.
“Last week, we had incidences of raids by the neighbouring community of the Turkana and they stole 20 cows from Nakodok and they attempted to run away with 18 more but these were recovered,” he said. “Even on Monday night, there was information that they (Turkana) again entered into South Sudan and we may hear of another rustling incident during the day.”
Efforts to reach Kenyan authorities for comment were futile.