Central Equatoria

Central Equatoria ( _ar. الاستوائية الوسطى al-Istiwāʾiyya al-Wusṭā) is one of the 26 states of Sudan, with an area of 22,956 km². It is in the south of Sudan. Juba is the capital of the state. It was formerly named Bahr al Jabal (Arabic: بحر الجبل, "River of the Mountains") and was named for the tributary of the White Nile that flows through the state. It was renamed Central Equatoria in the first Interim Legislative Assembly on 1 April 2005 under the new arrangement governing South Sudan.

Administrative Divisions

Central Equatoria, like other states in South Sudan, is sub-divided into counties. They are further divided into Payams, then Bomas. Each county is headed by a County Commissioner, appointed by the President. They are
*Juba County - Brig. Peter Jaden
*Lainya County - Col. Vincent Lobang
*Morobo County - Richard Soro
*Terekeka County - Wani Boughta
*Yei County - David Moses
*Kajo Keji County - TBA

Important cities of Central Equatoria are Kajo Keji, Liria, Mangalla, Rokon, Tali, Terekeka, Yei, Gemaiza,Tombek,Tindilo,Muni and Rejong.

Demographics

Major tribes include Bari, Pojulu, Kakwa, Keliku, Kuku, Lugbwara, , Mundari, Nyangwara, Makaraka and Lolubo.

Erasto Gonda, who is the Senior Folklore Officer for Central Equatoria’s information ministry states that “In terms of tribes in Central Equatoria we have Bari, the biggest, then we have the Kuku from Kajo Keji County, Nyangware from Rokon area – a sub-county – then we have Pojulu from Lainya,Yei County and Juba District, and then we have the Kakwa, from Yei County and Morobu, then there is the Kalico from Morobo County, then the Mundari from Terekeka County. There’s another as well; the Pojulu-Tijor who are near Tali.

“So, these tribes are the eight tribes who speak one language, the Bari language, although they all have different traditional dances. Mundari language for example is a kind of Bari, although there are differences in some of the words. But they all also have their special languages, called their ‘Kobura’ which the others don’t understand. It is a hidden language, they speak it during danger.

“They are all from one family but got separated because of land, the land was not enough. The first were all pastoralists, and then some remained pastoralists and some became agriculturalists.

“Then there are two others; the Lokoya tribe from Lira County, and the Lulubo tribe from the Nimule road area in Juba County.

“Then there is also the Direr or Nubi, these people are a collection of tribes and their religion is Islam. They settled together in two main places, in Malakia in Juba and in Bombo which is near Kampala in Uganda. They are united by their religion, which came to them in the 1940s. They now consider themselves to be a new tribe.

“The agriculturalists out of these are the Kuku, the Kakwa, Pojulu, Lokoya, Lulubo, Ngangware, Kalico. They grow a variety of crops, including maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, dura or sorghum, groundnuts, beans. These tribes have two harvests every year, the first in June or July and the second in November or December."They also keep cattle,goats and sheep

Government

The President of South Sudan appoints the governor, who then selects State Ministers and his advisors.

Executive
*Governor - Maj. Gen. Clement Wani Konga
*Deputy Governor & Minister of Local Government (SPLM) - Captain Henry Danga Steven (SPLM)
*Minister of Education (SPLM) - Lokulenge Lole Lokule
*Minister of Finance & Economic Planning – Angelo Dario Agor (SPLM)
*Minister of Health (SPLM) - Dr. Pius Swaka Subek (SPLM)
*Minister of Physical Infrastructure (SPLM) - Eng. Alkaya Aligo Samson (SPLM)
*Minister of Information & Communication – Joseph Lasu Gale (NCP)
*Minister of Agriculture – Charles Manuel Jongo (USAP)
*Minister of Social Development – George Lugala Benjamin (SANU)
*Secretary General of State Council of Ministers – Steven Emmanuel Lokuren
*Security Affairs Advisor - Rt. Maj. Gen (Police) Johnson Losuk
*Economic Affairs Advisor - Mary Apayi
*Political Affairs Advisor - Anthony Ariki
*Gender, Women & Child Advisor – Margaret Kani Samuel (SPLM)
*Education & Illiteracy Advisor- Dr. Manasi Lomule Kenyi (SPLM)

Legislature
*Speaker of the Legislative Assembly - Brigadier General Zamba Duku Michael (SPLM)
*Deputy Speaker – John Lado Tombe (SPLM)

Judiciary

References

* Interview with Erasto Gonda 'Tribes Of Central Equatoria' [http://www.gurtong.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2753]
* 'GLOBAL: Protect rights of minorities to avoid conflict, NGO urges.' [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72951]
* 'Violence, Sacrifice, and Cheifship in Central Equatoria Southern Sudan.' [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst;jsessionid=LRJHvSbGGLc6vXGTJr3q6zn3mlf6bx4RyGgXkSpyh6FNWwJ06FjM!758423851?a=o&d=5024491142]

External links

* [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/ETOA-6JZ8X3?OpenDocument UNHCR Sudan Operations: Sudan/Chad situation update 42, 8 Dec 2005] describing name change
* [http://www.gurtong.org/resourcecenter/regions/profile_state.asp?StateID=166] State Government Profile