Eastern Equatoria Members of National Legislature, State MPs, executive and county representatives on the Friday’s consultative meeting in Torit, proposed creation of 18 new counties.
The meeting chaired by MP Julius Wani Moiling resolved that the state should have 26 counties with Lafon/Lopa county split into Lafon and Imehejek.
It recommended that Ikwoto County should split into: Ikwoto, Kidepo Valley and Imotong counties while Torit divide into Torit, Torit East and Torit West Counties.
Kapoeta East to split into five; Kapoeta East, Kauto, Lokaalen, Katodori and Lopeat while Kapoeta South to split into Kapoeta South and Katiko Counties.
Kapoeta North should separate into three counties: Kapoeta North, Karukomuge and Moru Angilimo.
The meeting also resolved that Budi has to be parted into four counties: Chukudum, Napak, Ngauro, Ngatuba counties and that Magwi split into four including Magwi, Pageri, Magwi East and Nimule counties.
The demand for new counties followed President Salva Kiir announcement during the opening of the National Legislature on Monday in Juba.
In another development, the consultative meeting resolved that the Jie community of Kasengor Payam remains part and parcel of Eastern Equatoria as they historically stood at independence of Sudan in January 1956.
Part of the resolution mandated members of Eastern Equatoria in the National Legislature to stand against the inclusion of Jie people in the recent agreement between the government and David Yau Yau’s faction.
‘The Jie people of Kasengor Payam and any map that engulfs it to become part and parcel of Greater Pibor Administrative Area be deleted from the agreement’, read part of the resolution.
The meeting attracted more that hundred delegates from eight counties of Eastern Equatoria including State Legislative Assembly MPs, ministers and National Assembly Caucus representatives.