(TORIT) – Authorities in Eastern Equatoria State have confirmed the disappearance of State Minister of Peacebuilding, Marko Lokidor Lochapio, along with a government vehicle, raising alarm within the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) and state government structures.
Lokidor, a senior SPLM-IO figure in the state, was last seen in June. According to Eastern Equatoria State’s Minister of Information, Elia John Ahaji, preliminary but unverified reports suggest that the official vehicle issued to Lokidor, bearing registration number RSS EEG 143A, may have been driven across the border into Uganda and sold.
Ahaji said in a press statement, “The Government of Eastern Equatoria State would like to inform the public that Minister of Peacebuilding Hon. Marko Lokidor Lochapio has disappeared along with the government vehicle. Additionally, it is said that the minister left the state using a motorcycle, heading toward a neighbouring country.”
The state government has opened investigations into both the disappearance of Lokidor and the fate of the missing vehicle. Members of the public have been urged to assist with any relevant information.
Meanwhile, Jildo Abala, the acting SPLM-IO chairperson in the state and Minister of Roads, said the party has been trying in vain to locate Lokidor for several days.
“We are worried. For the last three or four days, we have been looking for him. We don’t know his whereabouts. We tried our best to trace him, but all in vain,” he said.
In contrast, the Director General of Peacebuilding in the state, Ausilio Odume Raimondo, downplayed the concerns, stating that Lokidor had informed him of a planned absence.
“He informed me that he had taken permission from the governor to attend to family issues,” Raimondo said. “I communicated with him, and he told me he is okay. I asked if he was in Kapoeta, and he said yes. When I asked when he would return, he said he was still preparing.”
Despite these conflicting accounts, Lokidor’s phone has remained switched off, and efforts to reach him directly have failed.
The Eastern Equatoria Civil Society Network called on the state to enforce accountability measures for absent ministers.
Interim chairperson Jimmy Kilang Silverio said, “The code of conduct for ministers should be enforced. If someone deserts office without permission, there is a problem. The government must trace his whereabouts. The missing vehicle should be returned. If he no longer wants to work, he should be relieved transparently.”
Lokidor’s disappearance comes at a time of increased political uncertainty within the SPLM-IO. He had reportedly been suspended by a breakaway faction of the party recognised by President Salva Kiir’s camp, following the controversial house arrest of SPLM-IO leader and First Vice President Riek Machar in March.
Machar’s arrest has deepened divisions within the SPLM-IO and is widely seen by observers as a serious setback for the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement. Some officials loyal to Machar have gone underground or sought refuge in neighbouring countries, further fuelling political instability in the region.
Attempts to reach national SPLM-IO spokesperson and Irrigation Minister Pal Mai Deng were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
Details of Minister’s Disappearance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Marko Lokidor Lochapio |
| Position | Minister of Peacebuilding, Eastern Equatoria State |
| Political Affiliation | SPLM-IO (led by Riek Machar) |
| Last Seen | June 2025 |
| Missing Government Vehicle | Registration RSS EEG 143A |
| Vehicle Estimated Value | SSP 46,000,000 (~USD 10,000) |
| Unverified Reports | Vehicle may have been sold in Uganda |
| Known Communication After Disappearance | Claims of personal leave, unconfirmed |
