Moyo RDC, LCV Chairman abducted by South Sudan Army

Sep 04, 2014

Moyo LCV Chairman, Jimmy Vukoni Okudi together with the Resident District Commissioner John Abingwa were yesterday afternoon taken hostage by South Sudan military operatives

By Charles Etukuri


Moyo LCV Chairman, Jimmy Vukoni Okudi together with the Resident District Commissioner John Abingwa were yesterday afternoon taken hostage by South Sudan military operatives as they attempted to secure the release of census enumerators and an LC 3 chairman of Moyo Sub County who had earlier been abducted.


By press time all the phones of  Abingwa and Okudi were switched off although a Government Source said the matter had already been brought to the attention of the South Sudan embassy in Kampala and Government in Juba.


The LC3 Chairman together with enumerators were arrested on Wednesday as they counted people along the border as the part of the ongoing national census. South Sudan soldiers claimed that the enumerators had crossed into their territory.
Area Member of Parliament Ayivu County, Bernard Atiku confirmed the arrests.


“I have just been informed that the chairman LC V of Moyo, his Vice and LC III chairman of one of the sub counties at the border with South Sudan have been taken hostage by some South Sudanese military operatives,” Atiku said yesterday.


 He said that the three were arrested as they were following up some Census enumerators who were earlier on abducted by the same military operatives. “I have informed the Minister of State for Internal Affairs Hon Baba James and Defence Minister, Hon Chrispus Kiyonga to take the matter up,” Atiku said.


Former Moyo Chairman, Ambassador Philip Idro also confirmed the arrests and said the area in question was being disputed by Uganda and Africa’s newest State South Sudan.


“President Yoweri Museveni and his counterpart Salva Kiir met and resolved that the status quo remains as it was and that both residents of the countries continue enjoying peace but I am surprised that someone is now disobeying his directives,” Idro said as he re referred to reports indicating that the order to arrest the team was made by the Commissioner of Keji in South Sudan.


Idro said that the 2 Presidents were in the process of setting up a border commission to clearly mark out the boundaries.

 Related Stories

Ugandan troops to stay in South Sudan

Over 70 South Sudan refugees enter Uganda daily

South Sudan institute relocates to Uganda

 

 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});