September 20, 2025.
Abunerry, Ayella
Magwi Town
Eastern Equatoria boasts riches that surpass many other South Sudan states, ranging from gold mining to fish production. The Kapoeta area is the hotspot of gold; the Nimule and Kinyeti areas have alluvial gold deposits. Unfortunately, over the past 20 years, EES has rarely seen adequate services despite all these riches.
The Kapoeta gold mine produces 60 tonnes of gold annually, valued at approximately $7.13 billion. Yet, the government of Lobong, the only one that has ruled the state for over 15 years, has done less than the people would expect. The people will probably credit him for completing the construction of the county headquarters, his predecessor's project. However, there is no reason to remember Gov. Lobong because of a lack of transparency and accountability.
The state cartel controls the lives of its citizens. You would seldom find good health facilities in the state unless funded by international organisations. Many hospitals and health centres are empty, which the non-governmental organisations rarely stock. Clearly, one must ask where the benefits of the gold are.
Roads remain poor, except for the highway that passes through Nimule. Many inter-county roads are poorly paved, leaving villages inaccessible even on foot. Meanwhile, the rich mines in the Kapoeta area, the largest gold deposit in the country, continue to benefit the state leadership and their anti-development cartels, who control the gold proceeds. This is happening at the expense of the people, who suffer from inadequate infrastructure and services. The state has several other mining sites, such as in Magwi County, all of which seem to be under the grip of these cartels.
The recent roadwork done by Rhino Star Company along the Torit-Nadapal road is questionable. It is only those who are stupid who will agree to that confusion that the company is voluntarily giving back to the people. There is no profit-making company that will accept working on government facilities freely. Instead of hiding behind the curtain, the Lobong Government should come out openly and account for every project it has been implementing.
To every citizen in the state, let us answer the following questions:
- Where are the benefits of gold going?
- Why hasn’t the government invested in improving infrastructure and services?
- Is the Lobong government truly working for the benefit of the people or just a select few?
If you failed to answer the questions, extend them to your area MPs to respond. If they cannot answer, hold them accountable. That is your right – why you voted for them or why they are appointed to represent your area in the parliament.
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