Aweil North county forms committee to address chieftaincy dispute

JUBA – The commissioner of Aweil North County in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Kiir Chan Wol has established a committee to mediate local disputes, including an ongoing chieftaincy conflict.

The committee aims to resolve issues before they reach the courts, with a specific focus on the dispute between chiefs Aturjong Aturjong and Dau Deng Nyuol, both vying for the paramount chief position.

“I don’t support using interest groups to win favour,” Wol said in the statement. “The nominated committee members, acting as paramount chiefs, will handle their duties.”

Wol emphasized the traditional practice of electing a paramount chief through a local by-election, where community members aligned with each candidate are counted.

He explained that the committee’s formation is temporary, intended to quell tensions until a new paramount chief is chosen through established procedures outlined in the Local Government Act.

The decision follows a recent flare-up in tensions between supporters of the two chiefs at the Gok-Machar court venue in Aweil North County headquarters.

The incident reportedly involved a verbal altercation that threatened to escalate into violence.

Wol urged the public to remain calm while the local government follows established procedures for selecting a new paramount chief.