By Baraka John
The Deputy Governor of Western Equatoria State, Justin Joseph Marona, has appealed to the national parliament to urgently enforce the Rokon Peace Consensus, calling for the removal of Mundari cattle herders from parts of Mundri East County.
Marona appealed on Monday during a high-level meeting at the office of the First Deputy Speaker of South Sudan’s National Legislative Assembly. Western Equatoria State Governor Daniel Badagbu led the delegation.
Addressing the meeting, Marona emphasized that the full implementation of the agreement is critical to restoring peace between communities in Terekeka County of Central Equatoria and Mundri East County of Western Equatoria. He noted that despite the signing of the consensus, Mundari cattle herders remain present in both Mundri East and Mundri West counties.
He urged the First Deputy Speaker to take a firm position, pointing to provisions in the agreement that classify armed herders involved in criminal activities as offenders. Marona also called on the governments of Western and Central Equatoria states to work collaboratively toward a swift and lasting resolution.
“As you are from Central Equatoria, we need your support in implementing the Rokon consensus so that peace can prevail between our communities by ensuring the withdrawal of cattle herders from Mundri,” Marona said.
In response, First Deputy Speaker Ambrose Lomin Pitia reaffirmed parliament’s commitment to promoting peace and stability across the states.
“We discussed unity, stability, and peace, which are very important. We agreed to work toward restoring peace in Western Equatoria, including in neighboring states and communities,” he said.
The Rokon Peace Agreement, reached in April 2026, aims to address longstanding intercommunal violence and cattle-related conflicts between Mundari cattle keepers from Central Equatoria and the Moru community in Mundri East and West counties.
The agreement calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, including killings and cattle raiding, and requires the return of stolen livestock to rightful owners. It also established a joint committee, co-led by the deputy governors of Central and Western Equatoria, to oversee mediation efforts and facilitate the peaceful withdrawal of cattle from affected areas.
The Rokon dialogue process has been widely regarded as a key step toward addressing the root causes of the conflict, particularly tensions linked to the presence and activities of Mundari cattle herders in the Greater Mundri region.