Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore has indefinitely suspended Torit County Commissioner Lokang Charles Italian and appointed Torit Municipality Mayor Eddy William Ponsiano Boyle as caretaker commissioner, according to two gubernatorial decrees issued on Wednesday.
The governor announced the changes in separate decrees, with Boyle assuming the role with immediate effect.
The suspension order cited the governor’s powers under Republican Decree No. 51/2020 and Article 99(2)(j) of the Transitional Constitution of Eastern Equatoria State, 2011.
No reason was given for the suspension.The move comes as residents and civil society groups have pressed state authorities to take firmer action against insecurity, intercommunal violence, and recurring road ambushes in Torit County.
Margret Itiara, secretary-general of the Torit County Women Association, welcomed Boyle’s appointment and urged him to prioritize peace and reconciliation in violence-affected communities.“We really want him to settle things down and make peace.
We need peace as women. We are really crying,” Itiara told Radio Tamazuj.
She called on the caretaker commissioner to visit affected areas, including Murra and Tirangora, and engage with communities to resolve ongoing conflicts and improve security on connecting roads.
Civil society activist Ohide Gabriel of the Women Initiative for Humanitarian Development Organization (WHIDO) stressed that lasting peace requires addressing the underlying causes of communal tensions rather than responding only to isolated incidents.
He urged the county administration to organize consultations involving traditional leaders, women, youth, and representatives of communities impacted by the violence.
“The new commissioner has to find the root cause and try to solve this issue, because without solving community tensions, there is no way we can think we are going to be in peace,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel also highlighted worsening security on roads linking Torit with Hiyala, Murra, and Tirangora, saying repeated attacks have severely limited freedom of movement.
He appealed to the government to provide greater logistical support to security forces and local peace initiatives, noting that resource constraints have hindered efforts to restore stability.
