The High Court in Kator, South Sudan, has issued an order halting the demarcation of approximately 32 square kilometers of contested land in Nyamini, northwest of Juba. The order, issued on September 4, 2026, restrains demarcation of the disputed area pending the determination of the substantive case before the court. The case, registered as JOSS/CES/J/K/CIV. S No. 55/2026, involves Olimpio Lokudu Pitia and others as plaintiffs and Sultan Emmanuel Juma Khalifa and Sultan Roman Lodu-Denis as defendants.
The dispute over Nyamini land has been ongoing for over a year, with community leaders in the Nyamini and Lodimi areas announcing the allocation of more than 22,700 plots for residential and investment purposes in May 2025. However, the announcement triggered opposition from members of the Nyangwara-Pojulu-Tijor community, who argued that the land remained disputed and that their representatives had been excluded from the allocation process.
The Nyangwara-Pojulu-Tijor community has consistently maintained that Nyamini forms part of its ancestral territory, with the community's Secretary-General, Yapete Mogga Abdallah, stating that the dispute dated back to 2013. Community leaders have pointed to the 1999 Warrant of Establishment of Dolo Local Council and recommendations of a 2013 Juba County Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which they say recognised the area's historical and customary connection to the Yangwara community.
In response to the escalating dispute, Central Equatoria Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony issued Gubernatorial Order No. 19/2026 on March 2, 2026, cancelling the issuance of plot documents in Nyamini and directing authorities to stop land documentation while the dispute was being addressed. The order also tasked the state security committee with engaging the affected communities.
Despite the governor's order, Nyangwara-Pojulu-Tijor leaders alleged in August that land demarcation and allocation were continuing, with Radio Tamazuj reporting that the community accused authorities and individuals of defying the governor's order. The allegations, including claims that armed personnel were facilitating land activities, were not independently verified.
The High Court order has preserved the disputed land from further demarcation, but has not yet resolved the question of ownership. Judge Ayiei Nyang Ayiei ordered that demarcation of the disputed area be restrained pending the court's determination of the substantive dispute. The order gives judicial force to a restriction on demarcation after months of competing government directives and community demands.
The Nyamini controversy has a longer history, shaped by competing claims over customary boundaries and land ownership. The court's decision to halt demarcation has provided temporary relief, but the dispute's resolution remains pending.
Key points
- The High Court has halted the demarcation of 32 square kilometers of contested land in Nyamini, Juba County.
- The dispute over Nyamini land has been ongoing for over a year, with competing claims over customary boundaries and land ownership.
- The court's order does not determine ownership of Nyamini, but rather restrains demarcation pending the court's determination of the substantive dispute.
