Yet, with only four days until he marks a month in office, county officials are urgently appealing to the veteran army general not for anti-corruption measures, but to halt rampant abductions, civilian displacements, killings, and arson targeting government infrastructure.
On the eve of South Sudan’s 14th Independence Anniversary, the paramount chief of Yei River County, Joseph Brown Lomosee, and two humanitarian workers from the Organisation for Nonviolence and Development (ONAD) were kidnapped along the Yei-Maridi road while traveling to Pisak payam for a community dialogue. They were released four days later, according to County Commissioner Emmanuel Taban Seme.
The abduction coincided with a security briefing on July 12, 2025, where state security officials updated Mujung. The governor underscored the need to intensify efforts to dismantle gang activities across the state.
Following the meeting, Acting Minister of Information and Communication Jacob Aligo Lo-Lado told the media the security situation was “relatively calm with exceptions of isolated incidents in Yei and Morobo counties.”
This characterization provoked a sharp rebuke from Emmanuel Khamis, former Lainya County Commissioner and Acting Mayor of Juba City. Khamis condemned the dismissal of widespread insecurity as mere “isolated incidents.”
He pointed to recent displacements of civilians by suspected Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) members in Marju and Pakula payams in Yei River County.
“Is the Security Committee aware of the latest displacement of civilians by SPLA-IO elements in Marju to Pakula in the last 72 hours? Why was it not discussed? The security incidents happening across the state are serious and cannot be underrated as isolated incidents,” Khamis wrote in a WhatsApp message obtained by Sudans Post.
While the precise number of displaced individuals remains unconfirmed, the county commissioner reported that five young boys were forcibly abducted by the perpetrators. Footage acquired by Sudans Post depicted hundreds of civilians, predominantly women and children, seeking shelter under a tree.
In Morobo County, suspected rebels torched an excavator at the Kendila Boma bridge construction site on Thursday evening. The equipment, left unguarded since clashes intensified two months ago, was deliberately set ablaze, according to eyewitnesses.
The bridge project, stalled since May when escalating violence forced contractors and engineers to flee, aimed to enhance regional connectivity. Commissioner Charles Data Bullen condemned the attack as a significant blow to infrastructure development and peacebuilding efforts.
“The bridge project was meant to serve our people by improving access and connectivity. Destroying such vital infrastructure only prolongs the suffering of civilians,” Data said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the arson, though the region has experienced sporadic rebel activity in recent months. The incident follows a recent raid on the county’s hospital in which two ambulances were burnt down, heightening safety fears.
On Monday, representatives from Wonduruba and Lobonok communities met with Mujung, presenting a litany of pressing challenges, with insecurity topping the list. It is another reflection of a commonplace concern within the state.
While the governor’s pledge to fight systemic corruption holds relevance, the growing pattern of insecurity, especially in Yei River and Morobo counties, appears to command more urgency from the state authorities.
