Cattle at a camp in Lakes State | Credit | Courtesy
Leaders of cattle camps in Lakes State are demanding inclusion in the government payroll citing the leadership role they
play in the camps.
The cattle camps leaders’ demand comes after the state
government started paying salaries to community chiefs. Previously, Chieftaincy
and cattle camp leadership roles were voluntary positions given by the
community.
However, the local government started paying the community
chiefs this year, prompting cattle camp leaders to demand their share of
leadership dividends.
Aleth Machar, cattle camp leader says they help government
in solving most of the critical cases in the camps and they deserve to be
included in government payroll.
“We are not receiving any dividends as cattle camp leaders
and we are not benefiting in any case. We help solve some of the problems on
behalf of the government. We are part of peacebuilding, and we should be paid
to motivate us,” Machar stated.
Another cattle camp leader, Thuc Loi, suggests the
establishment of cattle camps courts should local government consider them for
payment.
“Everyone has benefited from this government except us the
cattle camp leaders. The chiefs in the village hand cattle related cases and
this are some of the cases that we should handle. If we are given that
opportunity to handle those cases, we should be able to benefit from the fines
and other benefits of the local courts,” said Loi.
In response to the demand, Lakes State Minister of Local
Government, Chol Kuot-wel Manhom, played down the demand of the cattle camp
leaders saying the cattle camp leadership is meant to groom the youth into
future leaders and not a paying job.
“The local government structure ended with gold leader, and
they play a leadership role that protect the lives of the cattle camp people.
They play a role that protect their property and build their capacity to handle
future positions. The policy indicates that the gold leader is groomed to take
a bigger role in future because they are the next community chiefs in future
and there is nowhere in the law that the courts should be established to be
headed by gold leaders” Kuot-wel said.
In Lakes State, community chiefs receive salaries from the government based on their grade. Paramount chiefs who are in grade seven each received an equivalent of SSP107,000, which includes a 400 percent pay rise. The payment structure also includes grade 11 for sub-chiefs and deputy chiefs.