Central Equatoria State Governor Lt. Gen. Rabi Mujung Emmanuel has ordered a crackdown on self-deployed individuals and groups illegally collecting taxes in Juba and other parts of the state.
He described the practice as a serious threat to economic stability and public order, according to a statement published on his official Facebook page.
The directive followed a meeting of the State Security Committee held on Tuesday under Governor Mujung’s chairmanship, where the issue of multiple taxation and its impact on market prices topped the agenda.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Leon Abe Brown, Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agency, revealed that investigations uncovered a network of unauthorized tax collectors operating in local markets.
These groups, he said, have been extorting traders and imposing illegal levies, fueling a surge in commodity prices and undermining legitimate revenue collection efforts.
“We found that some self-deployed groups are collecting taxes in markets, which is one of the causes of inflated prices,” Abe explained. “The Committee resolved that only tax collectors officially deployed by recognized revenue institutions are authorized to carry out collections.”
Governor Mujung’s directive mandates all revenue institutions to conduct immediate vetting and verification of personnel deployed for tax collection.
Law enforcement agencies have also been instructed to identify, apprehend, and prosecute individuals involved in the illegal practice.
The Governor emphasized that the state government will not tolerate any form of unauthorized taxation, warning that such activities exploit traders, discourage business growth, and erode public confidence in state institutions.
He further urged market vendors and the business community to cooperate with authorities by reporting cases of illegal tax demands to law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, the security committee reaffirmed that the overall situation in Central Equatoria remains stable, but assured that stronger enforcement measures will continue to safeguard the state’s economic environment and uphold the rule of law.
