Gen. Rabi Mujung Emmanuel, Governor of Central Equatoria State (Courtesy Photo)
Lawmakers from Lainya County have accused the Central Equatoria State government of neglecting the worsening security crisis and poor service delivery in the area, during a tense meeting with Governor Lt. Gen. Rabi Mujung Emmanuel on Wednesday.
Led by Awate Esther, Chairperson of the Lainya Parliamentary Caucus, the Members of Parliament said the state had failed to protect civilians from persistent attacks by holdout armed groups and armed cattle herders encroaching from Bor and Terekeka.
They warned that the continued instability was crippling agriculture, displacing residents, and eroding public confidence in government leadership.
“We came to speak on behalf of a suffering population. Our people are living in fear, our health centers are collapsing, and schools remain in ruins. The government’s silence is no longer acceptable,” MP Esther said.
The MPs also demanded urgent intervention, including the provision of an ambulance for the county, rehabilitation of public infrastructure, and the deployment of forces to protect civilians and restore order.
Governor Mujung, while welcoming the MPs, defended his administration’s efforts but acknowledged the challenges.
He called for closer collaboration between the executive and the legislature to tackle insecurity and accelerate development.
“I understand the frustrations, and I share the concern for our people. We must work together to secure peace and deliver services,” Mujung said.
However, lawmakers insist the time for vague promises has passed, and urged the governor to match words with concrete action.
“We need to see implementation, not speeches,” Awate told reporters after the meeting.
“Lainya has been ignored for too long. That must change now.”
The meeting marks one of the strongest public confrontations between state lawmakers and the governor over local governance failures in recent months.
The Lainya caucus vowed to continue pushing until tangible results are delivered on the ground.
