(JUBA CITY) – South Sudan’s parliament has summoned senior land and housing officials to explain why cemeteries in the capital have been converted into residential plots, leaving Juba with almost no formal burial space.
The decision was made after a motion raised by Nyayang Johnson Lok Riek, chairperson of the Committee on Gender, who warned that Juba is facing what she described as a cemetery management crisis. She said most families are now forced to transport deceased relatives to ancestral villages due to the lack of burial sites in the city.
According to Nyayang, only one public cemetery is still operating, located at Checkpoint on the New Yei Road. Former burial grounds in areas such as Gumbo, Juba Na Bari, New Site, Hai Malakal and Konyo Konyo have been informally taken over and converted into residential structures or unregulated settlements.
She linked the crisis to rapid urban growth, weak protection of public land and the absence of a national policy on cemetery planning. Without legal guidelines, families are also prevented from burying relatives near their homes, which is common practice in rural communities.
Nyang said cemetery management in South Sudan has long been informal. The lack of planning has allowed what she called illegal entitlement of burial grounds, leaving no clear option for citizens. She stressed that the dignity of the deceased and public health considerations must guide future decisions.
Parliament resolved to summon the national Minister for Land, Housing and Urban Development, the Governor of Central Equatoria and the state’s Minister for Land, Housing and Public Utilities. They are expected to clarify how cemeteries were converted and whether land has been allocated for new sites.
Lawmaker Bol Joseph Agau of the National Democratic Movement supported the motion and called for a law to regulate burial practices in urban areas. He said customs alone cannot guide burial policy in growing towns where residents no longer have space within family compounds.
Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba said the issue affects all states and not only Juba. She called for a national policy that would guide both land designation and burial practices in urban settings. She added that parliament will issue formal summons for the concerned officials to appear in the coming sittings.
The officials from Central Equatoria will also be asked to confirm if any new land has been set aside for a cemetery to serve Juba’s growing population.
With the capital expanding rapidly and demand for land rising, lawmakers warned that failure to regulate burial zones could lead to disputes, public health risks and loss of cultural practices linked to honouring the dead.
Juba Cemetery Land Crisis
| Item | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Juba City, Central Equatoria, South Sudan |
| Main Issue | Severe shortage of formal burial space in the capital |
| Trigger of Action | Motion raised by MP Nyayang Johnson Lok Riek in parliament |
| Current Situation | Only one functioning public cemetery at Checkpoint along New Yei Road |
| Former Cemetery Sites | Gumbo, Juba Na Bari, New Site, Hai Malakal, Konyo Konyo – now converted into residential or informal settlements |
| Key Causes | Rapid urban growth, lack of legal protection for burial grounds, no national burial policy |
| Immediate Action by Parliament | Summoning national and state land and housing officials for explanation |
| Officials to Appear | National Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Governor of Central Equatoria, State Minister of Land, Housing and Public Utilities |
| Proposed Solutions | Creation of national burial policy, designation of land specifically for cemeteries |
| Public Concerns | Cultural respect for the dead, public health, rising land pressure |
