The Mayor of Juba City Council, Christopher Sarafino Wani, has warned city enforcement officers against arbitrarily closing businesses, harassing traders and making unlawful arrests, as the council moves to strengthen accountability and respect for the rule of law.
Speaking about reforms within the city administration, Wani said the council had stopped the practice of arbitrarily locking traders’ shops and detaining people without following legal procedures.
His remarks come amid complaints from traders whose shops have previously been forcibly closed and secured with City Council padlocks after they failed to pay demanded fees, taxes or other charges, disrupting business operations and raising concerns over enforcement procedures.
Wani said the council had also engaged judicial authorities and the Central Equatoria State government to establish a legal mechanism to handle legal matters arising from city operations.
He further announced plans to introduce identification control numbers for enforcement officers to make it easier for residents to identify them and report misconduct.
The mayor said the reforms were intended to promote dignity, fairness and mutual respect between the government and residents, stressing that city authorities must respect the law if they expect citizens to do the same.
He acknowledged persistent challenges, including insecurity and limited revenue, but said the council was working to strengthen financial discipline and improve service delivery.
