Hundreds of local residents in Yei town took to the streets on Friday and peacefully demonstrated in support of maintaining the 32 states and the Abyei region.
The demonstrators, headed by state lawmakers, marched from the SPLM party secretariat, through the Jamia, Sobe, Nyakama streets and handed over a petition to the state governor and the office of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
They carried placards in support of the current 32 states.
Alex Modi, a local community leader, who spoke on behalf of the demonstrators, said Yei residents want the country’s 32 states maintained.
“We the people of Yei River State today [Friday] declare our absolute support for the already created states plus Abyei. The creation of the 32 states has devolved more powers and services are brought closer to the people,” Modi said.
He added, “Today we are able to meet the governor, ministers, members of parliament and county commissioners. When a child is born, there is no way he or she is returned to the mother’s womb”.
Addressing the demonstrators, the state governor, Emmanuel Adil Anthony welcomed their petition and pledged to send it to President Salva Kiir.
“I want to assure you that I have received your petition and it will not end up in my office, but forwarded to the office of the president. I also heard that the need for the 32 states is your demand and Yei River has 13 counties. I hope you need your counties and we stand for peace, not war. I also stand with the demonstrators who want the states and the counties to be developed,” Adil said.
However, some sections of the population in the state did not take part in the demonstration, describing it as a politically motivated event.
Yei River is one the new states created by President Salva Kiir in October 2015.