Bangolo residents raise concerns over cattle keepers

Noah Issa Philip, Mundri

The community in Bangolo payam has raised a number of concerns over the presence of cattle keepers in the area. Speaking to the payam administrator, community representatives have said grazing cattle will impede their ability to cultivate crops as the rainy season begins.

Speaking to press by phone from Bangolo payam, administrator Mr. Daniel Bazia said that the cattle in the payam have come from Terekeka county. Mr Bazia reports that he has spoken to the Terekeka county commissioner, but received no further information from him.

'The issue here is of the presence of cattle keepers in my payam, I tried and called the commissioner of Terekeka county about how his people came to Mundri West county and Bangolo Payam specifically, and the commissioner said that he was not aware about their travel to Greater Mundri', he said.

Grazing cattle in Terekeka, an example of those in Bangolo payam.

Mr. Bazia has also reported that hungry cattle keepers often steal food and crops from the local area.

'The presence of cattle keepers in my payam is not good because if they enters someone's homestead and if the household head is not at home then they could enter into the house and pick whatsoever is eatable such as sorghum, ground nuts, simsam and dried cassava flour', he explained.

Mr. Bazia has appealed to the local authorities, security personnel and state government to intervene.

'I appealed to county and state government to intervene and talk to cattle keepers to return to their state or county of origin, I also extend my appeal to security personnels to intervenue and the know what is happening so that the issue is resolved'.

Greater Mundri has seen an increase in cattle disputes in recent months, raising further questions as to the security of Equatoria more generally.