Lawmaker says Kiir’s office involved in Ugandan army encroachment

JUBA – A member of the South Sudanese parliament has accused “cartels” within the office of President Salva Kiir Mayardit of colluding with the Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) to facilitate the continued encroachment of South Sudanese territory.

Bol Joseph Agau, a member of the South Sudanese peace parliament representing Yirol West County of the country’s Lakes State, made allegations on Monday during a parliamentary session in Juba.

“We might rise one day and find out that Juba County is one of the districts of the Republic of Uganda. As we speak, Uganda has encroached the whole Kaji-Keji,” Agau told lawmakers during a parliamentary session on Monday in Juba.

Agau claimed that Ugandan forces have illegally occupied over 200 villages in Kajo-Keji County of Central Equatoria and Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State.

He expressed concerns that these actions are compromising South Sudan’s territorial integrity.

“Over 200 areas are occupied by Uganda. Magwi County, as we speak, is under the control of Uganda Armed Forces. To make this issue very bad and ugly, Uganda has flown over us here, leaving us in Juba, and UPDF is now operating in Raja County. As we speak, they are involved,” he said.

He warned that if the country continues to be surrendered to Ugandan control, the parliament should be dissolved, and South Sudanese citizens would become part of the Republic of Uganda.

“If the country is surrendered to the Ugandan government, let this parliament be dissolved so that we are the Republic of Uganda citizens,” he said.

The legislator also criticized the alleged involvement of security apparatus within the President’s office in facilitating these incursions.

“As we speak, they are in connivance with the security apparatus, which are cartels within the office of the President. And this country is under control of the UPDF,” he added.

He argued that if the country’s resources, such as oil and minerals, have been misappropriated, the sovereign security and territorial sovereignty should not be compromised.

“Do not give the country to the cartels. The security cannot be compromised so that it is given to the cartels,” he said.

These allegations echo those made by the Commissioner of Kajo-Keji County, David Lisi Christophe, who recently wrote to the SSPDF commander expressing concerns about the illegal occupation of over 200 villages by Ugandan settlers.