The Central Equatoria State government has denied claims from St. Stephen Episcopal Church in Munuki that the state demolished its building and encroached on its land.
On Sunday, Rev. Paul Samuel Paul, the parish priest, said
the church, built in 1965, was granted plot No. 1567 in Block B in 1987,
covering 95,200 square meters.
However, David Morbe Aquilino, state Minister of Housing,
Land and Public Utilities, dismissed the allegations, emphasizing the state’s
continued commitment to supporting religious institutions.
“Already we have given them we have given 8 plots for the
church because the church is part of our responsibility to consider the church
because we cannot allow our people just to sit in the area without church,”
Morbe said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
Morbe stated that the presence of National Security officers
during the site visit on March 20 was standard protocol and not a hostile act,
as implied by the church officials.
He further added that the reorganization of land usage in
Munuki is aimed at ensuring equitable access and urban development, not
targeting faith-based entities.
Recently, the state government warned against illegal land
acquisition amid rising cases of land grabbing in some areas of Juba, Mangalla,
Luri, Rajaf, and Lado.
Authorities urged the public to cease unlawful occupation and pledged legal action against violators to protect public and institutional land.