Leek community in Kenya condemns plans to relocate Rubkona county headquarters, urges unity gov’t to block move

JUBA – The Leek Community Association in Kenya has, in a statement on Tuesday, condemned a plan by state government officials to relocate headquarters of Rubkona county from Pakur to Kaljak and urged the unity government in Juba to block what it calls a “selfish” move.

Last week, a senior government official of the defunct Northern Liech state told Sudans Post that the state government was in consultations with the Rubkona community to explore ways to relocate Rubkona county headquarters to Kaljak, a village in Budang Payam.

The move sparked controversy on social media with members of the community calling it provocative and unnecessary accusing the state governor of working to control important  infrastructure in Rubkona that contribute to the county’s economy on the pretext of “taking town to the village.”

“This statement by the Leek Community Association (LEECA) in Kakuma, Kenya, is to condemn, in the strongest possible, as inappropriate and forceful move made by the Unity State governor Joseph Nguen Manytuil,” the statement signed by the community chairman, Gatkuoth Dak Mead, and the organization’s secretary-General, Stephen Matai Tuel, said of the plan.

The statement said the state governor was “using his position as a governor to seek for corporation within the state government to rid of non-compliance members. Due to his position Joseph is trying everything possible in his powers to economically disadvantage the Leek Community by relocating Rubkona headquarters from the strategic location to Kaljak.”

It further urged the transitional government in Juba to intervene so as to block the move which it said may result in occurrence of tensions between the Rubkona community and the Unity state government.

“We brings this to the attention of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGONU) that the proposed relocation of Rubkona County to Kaljak is rejected and Mr. Joseph Nguen should not provoke the Leek community by grabbing their precious and strategic land for his own selfish reasons and should not exploit the patience of this innocent community,” the statement said.

It said the oil-rich state is at “reconciliation and healing and the governor should not lay down some barriers to jeopardize that process with our people who are trying to build peace in the state.”

“We therefore urge the government of the Republic of South Sudan to halt the governor Dr. Joseph Nguen to stop provoking the Leek community by forcefully grabbing their land in the name of relocating Rubkona county headquarters to Kaljak,” it concluded.