Nuer Political Backlash: Cabinet Affairs Minister Faces Resignation Calls After “Hostile vs. Friendly” Remark

Juba, South Sudan | May 2025

Nuer political backlash erupted after Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr Martin Elia Lomuro branded several Nuer-inhabited counties “hostile” during a 26 April press briefing. What began as a routine update has become the most serious ethnic controversy since the 2018 revitalized peace deal.

Table of Contents

1. What Triggered the Outrage?
2. Nuer Leadership Peace Forum Responds
3. SPLM Lawmakers Turn Up the Heat
4. Demands: Resignation, Retraction & Legal Action
5. Government’s Clarification Attempt
6. Historic Role of the Nuer in Liberation
7. Implications for National Stability
8. Way Forward: Healing Through Inclusive Dialogue

1. What Triggered the Outrage?

During an Eye Radio–covered press conference, Dr Lomuro categorised nine Nuer counties as “hostile” to government and seven as “friendly.” Critics say the terminology revives wartime language that once inflamed violence across Upper Nile and Jonglei.

2. Nuer Leadership Peace Forum Responds

A joint communiqué signed by Labour Minister James Hoth Mai, former Interior Minister Michael Chiangjiek, Dr John Jooyul, Hassen Deng Gatpan and Wiu Kuon condemned the remark as “derogatory and inflammatory,” warning that ethnic profiling violates the nation’s constitution.

3. SPLM Lawmakers Turn Up the Heat

Nuer Members of Parliament in the Reconstituted Transitional Legislative Assembly echoed the outrage, stressing that community labelling threatens the fragile unity government painstakingly built since 2020.

4. Demands: Resignation, Retraction & Legal Action

• Immediate dismissal from the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and all peace-oversight roles.
• Public apology and full withdrawal of the “hostile vs. friendly” categorisation.
• Pursuit of legal remedy if corrective measures are not enacted within 14 days.

5. Government’s Clarification Attempt

Youth and Sports Minister Dr Joseph Geng Akech later claimed Lomuro’s reference was aimed only at “organised armed groups,” not the wider Nuer populace, and pointed to the reconciliation chapter of the peace agreement as the mechanism to address local militias.

6. Historic Role of the Nuer in Liberation

Critics argue the remark erases the Nuer’s pivotal role in the liberation struggle—from the Fangak 1993 defence to frontline leadership by Generals James Hoth Mai and Peter Gadet. Their contributions remain central to South Sudan’s independence narrative.

7. Implications for National Stability

The controversy surfaces as elections approach and security-sector reforms remain unfinished. Analysts warn that polarising language from senior officials could erode public trust and destabilise regions already grappling with communal conflicts.

8. Way Forward: Healing Through Inclusive Dialogue

Church leaders and civil-society groups propose a televised town-hall meeting where Lomuro addresses grievances directly with Nuer elders. Advocates say transparent dialogue can reaffirm that no community is inherently “hostile” or “friendly” but equally South Sudanese.

Conclusion

The Nuer political backlash against Dr Martin Elia Lomuro illustrates the enduring sensitivity of ethnic rhetoric in South Sudan. Whether through resignation, apology or constructive dialogue, the outcome will test the nation’s commitment to inclusive governance and lasting peace.

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Scale of the Outbreak

State Health Minister Dr Francis Michael Hassan reports 700 cumulative cases and 15 deaths. Wau Central Prison alone has 68 suspected infections, four laboratory-confirmed cases and two inmate fatalities.

“Time is our greatest enemy. Every hour we delay treatment or vaccination, we risk another life.”
— Dr Francis Michael Hassan, Minister of Health, Western Bahr el Ghazal

Prison-First Vaccination Drive

The prison tops the priority list “because overcrowding and poor sanitation accelerate transmission,” Dr Hassan said while launching an emergency campaign to vaccinate all 1,200 inmates and staff within 72 hours.

County Hotspots

• Jur River County: 500 confirmed cases — current epicentre.
• Wau Town: 94 cases, including two paediatric deaths.
• Wau Central Prison: 68 suspected, 4 confirmed, 2 deaths.

Rapid Response Measures

Symptoms first appeared in the prison on 19–20 April. Within 48 hours, a state rapid-response team deployed rehydration supplies, chlorine tablets and dedicated case-management staff.

Cholera Nationwide

By late April, South Sudan had logged an estimated 51,000 confirmed cholera cases and more than 900 deaths. Western Bahr el Ghazal’s surge signals a dangerous westward spread if urgent containment falters.

Protecting Your Family

Health officials urge residents to act immediately:

• Keep Oral Rehydration Salts—or mix 6 teaspoons sugar + ½ teaspoon salt in 1 litre of safe water.
• Boil or chlorinate drinking water.
• Wash hands with soap after latrine use and before eating.
• Disinfect household surfaces with chlorine bleach.
• Report suspected cases to the nearest clinic within 24 hours.

Download our full household checklist here: Cholera Home First-Aid Guide.

Conclusion

Western Bahr el Ghazal’s surge shows how fast cholera can spread when clean water and sanitation are scarce. Coordinated vaccination, rapid case management and vigilant communities are essential to prevent the outbreak from engulfing neighbouring states.

South Sudan Online will publish daily updates and practical guidance as this health emergency unfolds.

Deadly Land Dispute Ignites Violence in Kiyala Payam, Torit County

Torit, Eastern Equatoria | May 2025

Two people are dead and scores injured after fresh fighting broke out between residents of Mura and Tirangore bomas in Kiyala Payam, Torit County. The flashpoint: a tract of fertile land both communities have contested for nearly three decades.

Land Ownership at the Heart of Decades-Long Feud

According to Tirangore Boma Paramount Chief Peter Ikalu Aukario, the dispute dates back to 1998, when shifting administrative boundaries left ownership of the parcel unclear. “Since then,” he said, “each planting season has carried the threat of violence.”

Latest Clash Turns Deadly

Witnesses report that tensions flared after rival youths erected new cultivation fences on 1 May. Gunfire erupted, killing two men on the spot and wounding at least ten others. Several homes were looted along the Torit–Kapoeta road, a corridor repeatedly hit by ambushes linked to the feud.

Local Leaders Appeal for Calm

“The situation is disastrous. We need government protection and a fair boundary decision before more blood is spilled.”
— Galileo Ohide Juliano, Paramount Chief of Mura Boma

Government Urged to Intervene

County officials previously brokered a cease-fire in 2023, but the agreement collapsed amid fresh accusations of land encroachment. Residents now implore the Eastern Equatoria State government to deploy security forces, open an impartial boundary commission and prosecute ringleaders behind the latest attacks.

Why This Matters

The fertile lands of Kiyala support sorghum and cassava farms that feed Torit’s markets. Continued violence threatens food supplies, disrupts traffic on the Torit–Kapoeta highway and risks igniting wider inter-ethnic tensions in Eastern Equatoria.

Path to Resolution

Community elders propose a joint land-mapping exercise under state supervision, compensation for victims and youth-targeted peace dialogues. Whether such measures take hold will determine if Mura and Tirangore can transform a 27-year rivalry into lasting coexistence—or sink deeper into revenge killings that imperil the wider region.

South Sudan Online will continue to monitor mediation efforts and report on any breakthroughs.