Cry, Homeland Jeleyi: The Scramble for Land on Nimule’s Outskirts 

By ANDREW OLWENY 

JELEYI, Eastern Equatoria — A growing land dispute in Jeleyi, a rural settlement located approximately four kilometers outside the border town of Nimule, has escalated into what residents and community leaders describe as an alarming wave of land grabbing allegedly involving senior government officials and municipal authorities. 

An investigation by this publication has uncovered claims that large portions of community land in Jeleyi have been demarcated, fenced, and allocated without the consent of customary landowners, deepening tensions among local clans and raising serious concerns over governance, legality, and respect for court orders. 

Allegations Against Senior Officials 

Among the prominent figures named in the findings are Nimule Municipality Mayor Caesar Longa Fuli and the Member of Parliament representing Opari Constituency, Hon. Taban Oliver. 

Sources familiar with land developments in the area allege that Hon. Taban Oliver has fenced off approximately 30 hectares of land in Jeleyi, alongside an additional sizeable tract along the banks of the Aswa (Acca) River. Community members claim these acquisitions were undertaken without consultation or approval from traditional land custodians. 

Meanwhile, Mayor Caesar Longa Fuli is accused by residents of using municipal authority to influence land allocation processes. According to multiple local testimonies, the mayor allegedly worked in collaboration with members of the Koi clan, with accusations of intimidation and administrative pressure directed at opposing community members. 

Neither official had publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication. 

Dry Port Project Raises Questions 

Further controversy surrounds reports that several hectares of land in Jeleyi have been earmarked for a proposed dry port project reportedly linked to international financing institutions, including the World Bank and the African Development Bank. 

Government authorities in Juba have promoted the dry port initiative as a strategic economic infrastructure project intended to ease cross-border trade through Nimule. However, critics argue that land allocations connected to the project were conducted without transparent consultation or lawful community consent. 

A Land Claimed by Three Clans 

At the heart of the dispute lies a long-standing ownership contest among three Ma’di clans — Pageri, Patibi, and Koi — each asserting historical claim over Jeleyi. 

According to elders interviewed during this investigation, the matter was previously presented before the Ma’di supreme traditional authority, known as Lopirigo. Witnesses say that under the leadership of Lopirigo Draru, oral testimonies and customary records identified Jeleyi as belonging primarily to the Pageri clan. 

However, the dispute grew more complex amid alleged administrative involvement by Nimule Town Clerk Mr. Eriga, which community leaders say weakened traditional mediation efforts and prevented a final customary verdict. 

Subsequently, members of the Patibi clan, led by Lagu Alio Bendard and his son Kunga Bendard — also known as Glory Bilton — filed a case before the High Court in Torit. 

In a controversial ruling, the High Court recognized claims by all three clans — Pageri, Patibi, and Koi — an outcome legal observers describe as highly unusual, as communal land under customary law is rarely assigned to multiple ownership groups simultaneously. 

Court Orders Defied 

Dissatisfied with the ruling, representatives of the Pageri clan have since appealed to the decision to the Court of Appeal, the country’s highest judicial authority. 

Compounding tensions, the High Court in Torit reportedly issued an injunction ordering an immediate halt to all land-related activities in Jeleyi pending further legal determination. 

Despite this order, residents allege that municipal authorities — including the mayor, deputy mayor, and area political leaders — proceeded to deploy county surveyors to subdivide and allocate plots. 

Community members claim that government officials are exploiting the displacement or absence of portions of the local population to redistribute communal land outside established legal and customary procedures. 

Community Fears and Growing Anxiety 

Local leaders warn that continued disregard for court directives risks igniting inter-clan conflict in an already sensitive border region. 

“This land carries our history,” said one elder who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. “When leaders take land without consent, they divide the people.” 

Critics further argue that officials without documented historical ties to Jeleyi should not exercise unilateral authority over customary land decisions. 

Calls for Accountability 

Civil society's voices and community elders are now calling for an independent investigation into land allocations in Jeleyi, enforcement of court orders, and renewed dialogue involving traditional authorities, government institutions, and affected clans. 

As legal proceedings continue at the Court of Appeal, uncertainty remains over the future of Jeleyi — a community caught between development ambitions, political power, and unresolved customary land rights. 

This publication will continue investigating the matter and will publish additional findings, including further names linked to alleged land acquisitions, in subsequent reports. 

Source:www.southsudanliberty.com