By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Local authorities across Central Equatoria have been ordered to immediately “down tools” on all land surveying and planning activities as the state government moves to consolidate control over a rapidly expanding capital.
The sweeping directive effectively freezes independent land demarcation in all six counties including Juba City, and Wonduruba Administrative Area signaling a major shift toward a centralized, state-led urban strategy.
In a move to end fragmented development, Ministerial Order No. 05/2026 mandates a total stoppage of the six (6) counties of Central Equatoria State, Juba City Council authorities, and Wonduruba Administrative Payam from conducting any planning or demarcation within their respective jurisdictions.
The suspension is a critical precursor to a state-wide harmonization effort, as the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities confirmed it is now fully engaged with updating the Juba Master Plan.
David Morbe Aquilino, the state Minister of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities in CES, grounded the decision in the need for total administrative management as the government looks to modernize the region.
“All the survey work done within and around Juba town, including the investment areas, has to be handed to the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities of Central Equatorial State for harmonization,” Minister Aquilino declared in the order, noting that his office is “now fully engaged with updating the Juba Master Plan”.
To ensure the new directive is respected, the Ministry has stripped local authorities of their independent surveying powers. Under the new rules, any new demarcation and surveying should be done through the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Public Utilities and the communities, while local authorities are expected to be fully engaged in the processes of demarcation, planning, and allotment.
The Minister emphasized that the era of fragmented land planning is over, signaling a shift toward a more unified state-level strategy.
“This order shall be effective from the date of signature,” stated the minister’s directives, underscoring that the Directorate of Land Administration and Town Planning, the Directorate of Survey, and law enforcement agencies are to ensure that “this Order is fully implemented”.
“Authorities including the Governor of Central Equatoria, the Mayor of Juba City Council, and all six County Commissioners have received the January 29, 2026, ministerial order to guarantee its immediate implementation.”
This Ministerial Order follows ongoing efforts by the Central Equatoria State government to address land management challenges and overlapping jurisdictions between local county authorities and the state ministry.
By invoking Ministerial Order, the government aims to stop unauthorized land allotments that may conflict with the updating of the Juba Master Plan.
The Juba Master Plan is a strategic blueprint designed to guide the organized growth of South Sudan’s capital. The decision to centralize all survey and investment area records for harmonization suggests the state is seeking to rectify previous planning inconsistencies and ensure that future urban expansion aligns with national and state development standards.