Skip to main content

THE EES GOLD MINES THAT BENEFIT A CRIMINAL CABAL.

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:
  1. Where are the benefits of gold going?
  2. Why hasn’t the government invested in improving infrastructure and services?
  3. 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.

END

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A NEW ERA FOR NIMULE: Appreciation for the Mayor's Efforts.

HW: Hon. Fuli Caesar.   Nimule Bylaw... a great development.  4th Sept. 2025 In March, the state government designated Nimule Town Council as a municipal council. This move sparked mixed reactions among the community; some supported it while others opposed it. As a long-time resident of Nimule, I understand the complexities of this decision. Building on this development, I'd like to share my perspective on the town's progress. With over twenty years of living in Nimule, I've witnessed many issues that have hindered the town's progress. Previous leaders implemented policies that failed to drive real improvement. They collected taxes, but tangible benefits and developments within the town remained in the grave. I've contributed to the town's development through voluntary clean-ups with some youth groups (ICYA, YPCC) and advocacy efforts, calling for bylaws to protect local businesses and residents from exploitation.   However, with your leadership, Your Worshi...
Post a Comment
Read more

UNMASKING THE RED BELT: Community Defense or Security Threats

WHY IS EQUATORIA MENTIONED? September 2, 2025 Many South Sudanese tribes have vigilante groups, particularly in cattle-keeping communities. Based on their mandates, it is clear that each group aims to protect and defend its community from neighbouring raiders. Communities like the Dinka, Nuer, and Murle have such groups, and their long-standing conflicts over resources suggest this is a survival mechanism. From my experience, South Sudan's community insecurity worsened in 2017 when the economy collapsed due to unresolved civil conflicts. Youths formed groups with different names, such as the Toronto, West Coasts, Black Mambas, and Invincible Scorpions, in Juba and other major cities. In Nimule, many of these youths brought ideas from Juba's Sherikat suburb after escaping arrest or internal disputes. Today, gangs are widespread in major towns and cities.   Recently, the Red Belt group emerged in Bor, disrupting a peaceful tournament and attacking the National Security Servic...
Post a Comment
Read more

DO NOT JOIN STAR INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY MAGWI CAMPUS UNTIL IT FULLY ESTABLISHES ITS OWN STUDY CENTRE

Between 2017 and 2019, I wrote several articles about the fraudulent practices of Kampala University. Those who were its students were aggressively defensive, only to concede later. This happened after the Ministry of Higher Education declared the university illegal. Although the students pursued a legal case against the university, they sadly lost. Education is a right for everyone, but a learning institution should provide quality and legitimate services to the public. In South Sudan, several universities and colleges are operating illegally and exploiting poor students. On 22 June 2026, Star International University (SIU) launched one of its campuses in Magwi Payam, making it the second campus after the Nimule campus, which was established around 2021–2022. Accordingly, this could be the third campus in Eastern Equatoria, including the Torit campus. Such rapid expansion raises serious questions about the credibility of the university. A credible learning institution cannot spread i...
2 comments
Read more