By Alan Clement
Central Equatoria State Minister of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities, David Morbe Aquilino, has denounced the ongoing land demarcations and road openings in Lokwilili residential area.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Ministry’s headquarters on Friday, the minister firmly termed the ongoing demarcation illegal.
He distanced his ministry from the recent demolitions and land allocations in Lokwilili residential area.
He emphasized that the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities has no involvement in these activities, which he described as unlawful and orchestrated by land grabbers operating outside the bounds of legal authority.
“The State Ministry of Housing, Land and Public Utilities is not part and parcel of such kind of activities,” Aquilino told reporters during the briefing. “It is typically the work of unlawful bodies and we strongly reject and condemn such behaviors that the land grabbers are now doing,” he added.
Aquilino reiterated that his ministry remains the sole institution mandated by law to regulate, allocate, and manage land affairs in the state, and any actions taken without its endorsement are illegitimate. By publicly disassociating from the operations on the ground, the minister sought to protect the integrity of his office and caution citizens against engaging with individuals or groups falsely claiming official backing.
“We in the Ministry of Housing, Land and Public Utilities are the only institution in Central Equatoria State responsible to handle land affairs and land regulations; not anybody else,” he stated.
The minister cautioned citizens against engaging with individuals or groups fraudulently collecting money and registering people for plots in Lokwilili, saying such transactions will not be recognized.
“I call upon all the public and our innocent citizens not to comply with anybody who is now in the field, collecting money and registering people,” he said. “Do not risk your money because these are just land grabbers who want to take it. After all, they will not get any documents from the State Ministry,” continued Minister Aquilino.
He further disclosed that some of the perpetrators had obtained documents from the National Ministry of Land, Housing and Development and are now “illegally” using the name of his ministry to carry out their activities. He clarified that the current disturbances in Lokwilili involve re-demarcation of already surveyed land, distorting approved plans and fueling disputes.
The minister also linked the activities to rising tensions in other hotspots such as Joppa, now renamed Matangai, where land clashes have occasionally turned deadly. Aquilino described the situation in Lokwilili as a “re-demarcation” of an already planned and documented area, warning that the new layouts being introduced by unauthorized actors are distorting the original plans. “They are opening new areas, having their own plan which is contrary to the plan of the State Ministry,” he said.
As a result of tensions over land disputes that could potentially escalate into violent clashes and tragic loss of life, the official called for restraint and adherence to lawful processes. He urged rightful landowners to remain calm and avoid confrontation, emphasizing that justice must not be pursued through violence.
“We urge all rightful owners to give chance to the government to work and to avoid taking their rights by violence,” Aquilino said. “Our Governor, Rabi Mujung, is committed and has engaged key government officials to address land grabbing across the state,” the minister added.
On the issue of compensation for those whose homes have been demolished, Aquilino clarified that the Ministry cannot intervene until the root causes are addressed. “We are not the ones carrying out the activities and we are not the ones who demolish the houses. The land grabbers will be held accountable for their actions,” he stressed.
He confirmed that the matter has been raised at both the State Security meetings and the Council of Ministers, and assured the public that the government is actively identifying and pursuing those responsible. “Whether they are in uniform or not in uniform, they will be brought to book,” Aquilino declared.
The minister concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to restoring order and ensuring that rightful landowners receive their plots in accordance with official plans. “We are working very hard to bring this situation to normal. Let the citizens give chance to the government to work and answer their grievances,” he concluded.