By Yiep Joseph
The Governor of Central Equatoria State (CES), Rabi Mujung Emmanuel, fired the mayor of
Juba City Council, Johnson Swaka Ngisak.
Mujung appointed Christopher Sarafino Wani Swaka as the new mayor of the Juba City Council. Also, two deputies to the mayor were relieved
These changes were made on Friday through gubernatorial decrees.
As the City faces challenges such as garbage problem, illegal taxes among others eyes have been place on the newly appointed Mayor to rescue the situation.
Tasks
After the changes in the leadership of the Juba City Council, some of the citizens, stakeholders, and experts called for fresh strategies to keep the city clean.
Some also called on the newly appointed mayor to tackle pressing issues affecting the city, such as the land disputes.
In an interview with this outlet, Garang Bol, an environmentalist, called on the newly appointed mayor to ensure that Juba City resembles other cities in regard to cleanness.
He expressed that the best way to maintain a clean city is by implementing laws.
Bol urged the new mayor to double efforts, citing that Juba City needs a lot of unfinished projects.
“We need the newly appointed mayor to double efforts; we have many things that need to be done, such as the issue of garbage, the issue of land disputes, illegal logging, and poor internal roads. “The mayor cannot sleep; he has a lot of work,” Bol said.
He called on the national government to adequately support Juba City in order to implement their constitutional tasks.
As criminal activities and drug abuse surge in the city, Bol urged the newly appointed mayor to work hand in hand in cracking down on the activities.
“The City Council leaders are in charge of the city, and any crime developing, they should handle. Drug abuse and too much drinking of alcohol, even among children, are becoming too much,” he said.
John Mawa, a resident and businessman in Munuki, expressed a call on the newly appointed mayor to handle the cases of illegal taxes.
“We need the newly appointed mayor to investigate illegal taxes and bring them to an end; if he manages that, it will be a great achievement,” Mawa said.
“As traders we have suffered; many people do collect taxes we do not understand, but we just pay. If the new mayor can work hard to reduce them, it could be good,” he added.
He added that, besides illegal taxes, land disputes continue to surface in many areas, with traders sometimes forced to rent to two owners.
“Landowners are always in wrangles in some places; like last time in Custom, some shop owners were forced to pay rent to two owners, but if the new mayor is committed, he can solve this,” he said.
He added that the residents and the traders at large support the mayor and remain hopeful to cooperate and ensure that he fulfills his designed plan intended to benefit the population.
Mawa added that while the Juba City council continues to collect money for garbage from the traders, little has been done.
“We give money for garbage, but still it takes time to be collected, hence giving criminals a chance to dump within areas,” he said.
He urged the newly appointed mayor to initiate fresh policies that could ensure timely and proper collection of garbage.
Mawa also advocated for strong laws that could discourage littering and illegal dumping of waste in the city.
Kuol Ajak, a hygiene promoter and environment activist, called for a clear program aimed at tackling the pollution within the city.
“It is good that a new mayor is appointed, but we shall be happy when he comes home with clear policies to end pollution. Look at our rivers; some people are dumping there,” Ajak said.
He appealed to the leadership of the Juba City Council to consult experts and at the same time implement the available policies aimed at protecting the environment.
Ajak called on the citizens to keep swamps and wetlands clean, stating that such spaces are not for dumping, as has been the case.
“We need to help the city; let us protect the swamps. They are not for settlement or dumping waste. I am seeing that they are being misused and polluted,” he appealed.
He appealed to the youth to team up and focus on initiatives that discourage dumping and pollution.
According to Decree No. 01/2025, Governor Mujung relieved Ngisak of his duties alongside Thiik Thiik Mayardit, the Deputy Mayor for Administration and Finance, and Juma Moses Michael, the Deputy Mayor for Infrastructure and Environment.
Jenifer Yabu Lasuba was appointed as Deputy Mayor for Administration and Finance, Lual Joseph Deng as Deputy Mayor for Social Services, and Stephen Lomude Martin as Deputy Mayor for Environment and Waste Management.
In an unexpected twist, Decree No. 04/2025 reassigned the outgoing mayor, Mr. Johnson Swaka Ngisak, to a new role as senior technical advisor to the State Ministry of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agencies.