Alliance for Land Rights South Sudan (ALRSS) condemned changing the name of the Jur River Bridge to Clement Mboro Bridge.

The Executive Director of the Alliance for Land Right South Sudan (ALRSS) Mr. Alfred Angok Uliny, has condemned the move and approached to change the name of the historical Bridge in Western Bahr el Ghazal state known as Jur Bridge.

“I condemn the approach used by the governor to table the proposed name of Jur River Bridge which is undergoing construction. The announcement come on Saturday when it was discussed in the council of ministers in Juba approving the proposed name as Clement Mboro Bridge,” Angok said. 

“We as the land alliance are concerned about the formula used by the governor which violates the decentralized system of government,” he added. “The approach should be that the state government table the proposed name in the state parliament so that the representatives of the people discuss the name that they wish to be given.” 

Angok warned that the move may create conflict within the state due to the river’s historical name in favor of the Luo community since its construction in 1973.

“This will create conflict within the state because the river was named Jur River and the bridge was also named Jur River bridge in 1973.” He said. “To rename it, consultations have to be done with stakeholders and the state parliamentarians because if it is not handled well, then this will create conflict within the state.”