By Yiep Joseph
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) has passed a motion on the establishment of a sustainable cemetery management point in the country.
The lawmakers reached consensus after the motion was presented during ordinary sitting no. 16/2025 held on Tuesday.
Lawmaker Nyayang Johnson Lok, who took the lead in the presentation of the motion on the Establish Sustainable Cemetery Management point in the Republic of South Sudan, emphasized that the framework will solve the current challenges.
“Currently there is only one functional public cemetery (located at Checkpoint along Yei Road), while several older burial grounds, such as those in Gumbo, Juba Na Bari, New Site, Hai Malakal, and Konyokonyo, have fallen out of use and have been illegally transformed into housing or informal settlements,” Johnson said.
She reiterated that due to urban growth the situation continues to worsen; hence, there is a need for urgent intervention.
Due to a lack of policy framework on cemetery management, the lawmaker expressed that unregulated burial practices and illegal land use continue to surface.
She added that the current policy on effective management of burial sites, if it becomes a law, will address public health concerns as well as activities that threaten the dignity of the deceased.
Johnson emphasized that the establishment of a national policy framework remains an effective avenue for protecting the existing burial sites across the country.
“The establishment of a national policy framework FOR cemetery management in South Sudan is a critical step towards addressing the urgent cemetery management crisis,” he said.
“By implementing the policy framework, we can protect the existing burial sites, secure new land for future use, and ensure that burial practices remain dignified and culturally appropriate,” she appealed.
Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly, Jemma Nunu Kumba, said that the policy will address challenges not only in Juba but across the country.
“There is a need for a national policy on the establishment of cemeteries and the burial of the dead,” Nunu said.
“This is very important because when there is a policy, it can guide the institutions.” She added.
She reaffirmed her commitment to ensure that the policy succeeds and responds to the current challenges.
Kumba said the parliament would formally write to the ministers and the governor, summoning them in the coming days to explain if any plans are already in place. The Central Equatoria officials will be expected to clarify if any land has been designated for a cemetery to serve the capital.
In July this year, the government of Central Equatoria State (CES) ordered immediate evacuation of all the graveyard squatters across the city.
CES, the host of the Capital Juba, has always complained of encroachment of the graveyards by individuals as well as investors.
In Juba, an old graveyard in Konyokonyo market has been encroached upon by many households who have temporarily resided on it for years till now.
Other graveyards along Bilpham Road have faced serious issues with investors destroying graves to make way for large construction projects. The Jebel Lemon graveyard has also suffered from similar land grabbing and desecration.
In response, CES, however, described such activities as disrespect of the dead and abuse of the law of the land.