Escalating Insecurity in Western Equatoria
Western Equatoria sits on fertile ground and strategic roads linking Juba with the Congo border. Yet months of ambushes have emptied markets and stalled trade, shrinking household incomes and disrupting humanitarian cargo according to humanitarian monitors stationed in Maridi.
Acting Governor Rimbasa Issues Homecoming Appeal
Acting Governor Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa stepped before reporters in Yambio on Monday, voice steady but urgent. He invited fighters loyal to former governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba to ‘come back home, rebuild with us, and allow children to walk to school without fear’.
New Leadership Signals Policy Shift
The plea follows President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s appointment of Lieutenant General Arkangelo Wani as substantive governor, closing a gap that analysts say emboldened rogue gunmen. Officials insist that renewed coordination between national and state forces will reopen contested corridors within weeks.
Grassroots Mediation Gains Momentum
Church leaders traveling from Nzara relay that some youth are wavering. ‘They miss farming seasons and weddings,’ said Reverend Samuel Pitya. Elders have reportedly opened discreet channels, offering cultural rituals that welcome returnees without humiliation or legal reprisals, provided no major crimes stand.
Badagbu argues that life in the forest now yields diminishing returns. Ivory trading routes are disrupted, and millet taxes collected at gunpoint buy little cooking oil in inflating rural markets. ‘They survive on cassava leaves,’ he noted, framing victory in purely civilian, economic terms.
Reintegration Packages and Regional Oversight
Yambio civil society networks propose amnesty packages mirroring 2019 national benchmarks. These include short vocational courses, micro-credit for agriculture, and provisional uniforms for those fit to integrate into organised forces. Observers from IGAD caution that delivery speed will determine whether guns truly fall silent.
Early Signs of Normalcy Return
For now, convoys remain escorted, yet traffic has risen since July, suggesting cautious optimism. ‘We recorded three safe commercial trips this week,’ confirmed deputy police commissioner Mary Nakasima. Markets in Mundri displayed fresh tomatoes on Tuesday for the first time in almost two months.