South Sudan’s National Council of States, the upper house of parliament, held a sitting in Juba Wednesday to discuss a proposal to create ten counties in Greater Juba, Central Equatoria State.
The sitting follows a directive in June by President Salva Kiir to create more counties in South Sudan, and is also based on a recommendation last month by Central Equatoria Governor Clement Wani Konga for further deliberation on the issue.
Officials in Central Equatoria have welcomed plans to subdivide the state into more counties while insisting that additional measures be taken to further decentralize power, including adoping a federal system throughout South Sudan.
The sitting was chaired by council speaker Joseph Bol Chan and attended by the Central Equatoria State Minister of Local Government.
Bol referred the draft proposal for a second reading next month.
Juba County Commissioner Stephen Wani Michael told Radio Tamazuj that creating new counties will not affect negatively the existing county governments but rather will help address their problems.
Below is a list of the new counties proposed by Governor Clement Wani Konga:
Eastern County – consisting Liyria and Lokiriri payams with Lokiriri as headquarters after a temporary headquarter to be in Nyulere.
Lobonok County – consisting Lobonok, Gazi payams with the headquarters in Lobonok.
Tuli County – consisting Wonduruba with its headquarters in Wonduruba.
Juba County – consisting Bungu and Rejaf Payams with headquarters in Rejaf.
Mangalla County – consisting Kondogoro and Mangalla Payams with headquarters in Mangalla.
Gemeiza County – consisting Gemeiza and Mangalla Payams with the headquarters in Korsomba.
Gwor County – consisting Reggo and Rijong Payams with the headquarters in Bura.
Tali County – consisting Tali and Tindilo payams with the headquarters in Tali.
Kwini County – consisting Rokon, Dollo and Tijor payams with the headquarters Rokon.
Nyarkenyi County – consisting Northern Bari Payam with the headquarters in Nyulubur.
Radio Tamazuj photo: Joseph Bol Chan, Speaker of the Council States, speaks during the reading of the reports
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