Namurnyang Artisanal miners in Greater Kapoeta in Eastern Equatorial State/Kei Emmanuel DukuBy Kei Emmanuel Duku
Residents of Owiny Ki Bul, a town in Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State, are expressing concern over the presence of nine Russian geologists conducting a mineral survey in the nearby Katire Mountain. The Russians have been camped at Alliance Primary School for the last three days and are under the protection of security officers.
Okeny Ben Francis, a local resident, described the situation. “I have personally seen them; they are not using helicopters or choppers but machines,” he said. “All of them are heavily protected by police and national security officers dressed in uniforms.”
According to Francis, this is the first time foreign nationals have shown interest in the area’s natural resources. While he acknowledged seeing an authorization letter from the office of the Eastern Equatoria State governor, he said the Russian team refused to provide a copy, raising suspicions among locals. “We are not comfortable with their presence,” Francis said. “When we asked them to give us a copy of the document, they refused. They only showed us a document indicating it is from the office of the governor, although we could not verify. This raises doubts about why the locals were not informed of such an activity.”
The Katire Mountain area is known for its rich mineral deposits, including gold, copper, and black stones. While artisanal gold mining is a primary economic activity for locals, other minerals remain largely unexploited. The gold extracted from Owiny Ki Bul is often sold in Magwi town, the county headquarters.
Meanwhile, Magwi County Commissioner Pole Pole Benjamin Olum confirmed the presence of Russian nationals, stating they had gone to Owing Ki Bul with the full knowledge of national and state authorities.
He said the Russian zoologists were in Magwi County to conduct a feasibility study on the existence of minerals in the area and were being led by officials from the national Ministry of Mining.
The commissioner did not specify if the Russians belonged to a specific exploration company, but said they were contracted by the Government of South Sudan under the Russia-South Sudan bilateral relationship.
While conducting the study, the zoologists are being led by a team of traditional leaders, Payam authorities, and other stakeholders. According to the commissioner, once the comprehensive survey is completed, the findings will be presented to the government and communicated to the respective communities where the minerals have been identified. He urged the communities not to panic.