21/10/2025
Open Letter to H.E. Dr. Riek G*i Kok, Governor of Jonglei State
From: Pal Kun Buoy
Date: 22 October 2025
Location: Akobo County, Jonglei State
Your Excellency,
First and foremost, I extend my warm congratulations on your appointment as the Governor of Jonglei State. Your return to public leadership at this critical time brings renewed hope for development, peace, and good governance across our state.
I write to you as a concerned citizen and a Public Management and Leadership Fellow at the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Center (YALI RLC). I also speak on behalf of many in Akobo County who share the vision of a more inclusive and administratively empowered community.
This letter is a humble appeal for the elevation of Akobo Town to municipality status — a step we believe is long overdue and grounded in both constitutional and practical justification.
Over the past years, Akobo has evolved from a rural town into an emerging urban hub. Its population has grown steadily, bolstered by returnees and internally displaced persons. The town now features structured local governance, established boundaries, growing economic activity, and public services including schools, health facilities, religious institutions, and administrative centers.
Its strategic location near the Ethiopian border has further strengthened Akobo’s role as a center for commerce, cross-border trade, and community engagement. These are key indicators of economic viability and urban growth, as outlined in the Local Government Act (2009) and the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan.
Additionally, upgrading Akobo to a municipality would bring administrative clarity and help resolve boundary-related disputes—such as those involving the proposed Akobo Payam. Establishing clear municipal borders based on the natural and historical boundaries of the Gezira area (from the Pibor River to Khor Geni confluence in the north, stretching southwest to Nyietiech and southeast to Lil Gal M
