By Paride Wani Moses – Torit
Authorities in Magwi County have called for peace and unity following an alleged chaotic incident during an inter-payam football tournament between Agoro Payam and Nimule Municipal Council late last week.
The Acting Commissioner for Magwi County , Hon. Lam Francis, urged footballers and supporters to set aside clan and payam divisions and embrace peaceful coexistence.
“We need to play as brothers and sisters, forgetting our origins, clans, and payams. We are all sons and daughters of this great nation, South Sudan, and Magwi County in particular. Let sports bring peace among us and help us select the best players to represent us at the state level.”
Hon. Lam refuted claims circulating on social media that the match ended in violence, clarifying that there was no physical fight.
“There is no evidence of a fight. The match was attended by national parliament officials and security personnel, and I was also present. What happened was just noise from supporters when the ball hit the goalpost. There was no fight among players. These claims are fabricated on social media and I condemn them. In every tournament, there is always excitement from supporters.”
He said the issue was addressed in a joint meeting involving community members and team coaches, and reaffirmed his commitment to provide security throughout the tournament.
“After the misunderstanding, we called the coaches and community leaders to remind them that this is a peace tournament. We want policies that promote peace, not chaos. We have ensured maximum security for the remaining matches. I expect communities to understand the importance of this tournament—peace and unity—and to identify players who will represent the county at the state level.”
The commissioner made the remarks to Radio Emmanuel 89 FM in a telephone interview on Monday.