A long-simmering land dispute between St. Stephen Episcopal Church members and residents of Munuki Hai Gezira reached a boiling point on Thursday morning, as tensions escalated into violence.
In response to the conflict, the Diocesan Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS), Rev. Justin Badi Arama, declared one month of prayer and fasting, urging divine intervention during this crisis.
“For this reason, I declare one month of prayer and fasting for the sake of the church, for ECSS, its status, and its social standing,” Bishop Badi said, calling for faith and unity amid the turmoil. “We will gather to pray and seek God’s guidance throughout this period.”
Bishop Badi outlined the prayer schedule, confirming that gatherings began on Thursday morning and will continue on Friday and Sunday.
“We prayed for two hours this morning. Tomorrow, we will return and pray again. On Sunday, the entire congregation will come together in full to pray,” he explained. “We will continue these prayers until the owner of the land comes to demolish the church. If that happens, we will find another place to gather and continue.”
The dispute intensified following a decision by the Central Equatoria State government, which, according to Bishop Badi, ruled against the church’s presence on the contested land.
“Our hope was in the government of Central Equatoria State,” he said. “Since they have decided against us, we have no power anymore; only God can speak for us.”
Tensions flared after church members arrived dressed in black for what was intended to be a peaceful protest, but violence erupted when they began dismantling fences and demolishing structures, claiming ownership of the land.
Benjamin Bali Simon, Chairperson of the Gezira residential area, described how the protest escalated.
“We heard that the pastors and faithful planned a peaceful protest and would wear black,” he said. “But this morning, they started removing fences and demolishing structures, leading to clashes with the residents.”
The ECSS has been in the spotlight in recent years over land disputes. Several cases involving the denomination with residents have sparked questions on the church’s relations with members of the society where it operates.
Meanwhile, Munuki resident Peter Nathaniel asserted that the land rightfully belongs to the local community, which originally allowed the church to settle there.
“This place belongs to the residents,” Nathaniel stated. “Since the church is a group of people, ECSS should engage in dialogue with the community to resolve this matter once and for all.”
The conflict dates back to Easter Sunday, when Rev. Paul Samuel Paul, the parish priest of St. Stephen Episcopal Church, accused officials from the Central Equatoria State government of demolishing parts of the church buildings in an alleged attempt to seize the land.
