The mayor of Rumbek municipality in Lakes State on Thursday launched an exercise to demolish illegal and makeshift structures in Rumbek town.
Mayor Peter Maliab Chieny told Radio Tamazuj that the demolition exercise is meant to clear all the illegal shops and makeshift structures in the middle of roads in the old bus park.
“The place was congested and had makeshift iron sheet shops so we came up with the plan to clear all those rotten iron sheets structures so that the place remains for the government to do development activities and plans,” Mayor Maliab said. “I heard some people say that it (park) was given to some people because there are people who are complaining that the place was officially allotted to them, but what I told them is that it is not the right time to discuss the issue but it will be discussed when we finish the clearance.”
He added: “There will be no attention given to the people who settled and put makeshift shops illegally on the main road or without the consent of the ministry of lands and public utility.”
According to the mayor, the state government has plans to utilize public land to construct schools, playgrounds, and health centers and he gave those occupying such land an ultimatum to vacate.
“As the policy of the government, we want to change the shape and face of the town. Since the establishment of the Government of South Sudan, most of the shops have not even been renovated,” Mayor Maliab explained. “So, we told the owners of the shops to renovate their shops and put new iron sheets to change the face of the market because we want Rumbek city to look better.”
The mayor said the local people settle in the middle of the roads or places meant for the government because they perceive that all the land belongs to the indigenous people or certain families. He added that this leads to the government failing to allot land for schools, health centers, or even playgrounds.
Some people even get lost because you cannot make a master plan within a suburb without a playground and without schools and health centers and these are for the community themselves,” Mayor Maliab lamented.
He reassured the people that the government is not grabbing the land but wanted to use it for the public good.
Gordon Dhukpuou, whose shops located around Villa Park were demolished, said he was given the land by the former commissioner and had papers to the effect and expected it to be returned to him after the clearance exercise.
“This place was allotted to me by the former commissioner and I was given documents. Now it is demolished and it has cost me a lot of money,” Dhukpuou said. “If the government demolishes these places and returns my piece of land allotted to me back then I do not have any problem, but if the government gives it to another person, this is where I will be questioning the government.”