Authorities in Yei River County of Central Equatoria State on Wednesday publicly set ablaze about 500 kilograms of opium, khat popularly known as marungi, and smoking tubes worth 1.5 million South Sudanese Pounds at the Yei Freedom Square.
Last month Yei River County commissioner issued an order banning the consumption, production, and sale of illicit drugs such as opium, shisha, khat, and alcoholic spirits among members of the public and the organized forces.
Addressing a crowd of witnesses, Commissioner Aggrey Cyrus Kanyigwa said the move is aimed at preventing crimes, public disorder and curbing the high rate of mental illness in the county.
“There is a public outcry in Yei complaining about the issue of opium smokers and witch doctors and we have witnessed the number of people getting mad is on the increase in Yei River County," he said. "People walk naked, steal and criminals attack people at night and all these are caused by people who smoke opium and as a government, we have the responsibility to protect the people and we want to see love, hard work, and peace in Yei.”
For his part, Duke David said the commissioner's actions will affect the youth who depend on the sale and consumption of the drugs.
“We appreciate the commissioner on what he has done but such actions are either good or bad because this is the business we are surviving on and now that we have been stopped from these drug business, as youth we are jobless and this action will affect us,” he said.
Lual Mabior, a khat consumer in Yei town said the move taken by the county government will negatively affect his family.
“I am not happy because I am dealing in marungi business and stopping this local business will affect my family because I am not employed and this is the business which feeds my family and sends my children to school,” he added.
The laws of the Republic of South Sudan prohibit the production and consumption of harmful drugs. In the Penal Code of South Sudan, possession of illegal drugs reportedly attracts a penalty of between 7-14 years in jail.