(YEI) – A combined task force has launched a large scale operation to arrest stray animals in and around Yei Town Payam, responding to rising tensions between farmers and livestock owners due to widespread crop destruction.
The initiative which began on official orders from Yei County Commissioner Emmanuel Taban Seme has already seen more than 30 goats and other livestock confiscated by the authorities. Personnel from the Police, Prisons, Wildlife, local government, and the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces are participating in the crackdown.
Commissioner Seme said the operation is intended to enforce existing regulations on animal movement, particularly targeting goats, sheep, and cattle that have been left to roam freely and have damaged gardens and crops across the area for years.
He explained that although the government had used peaceful measures such as public awareness campaigns, local radio announcements, and community meetings, compliance from livestock owners remained low.
“As County Authorities, we have issued several warnings, and it’s now time to implement the orders using available forces,” the commissioner stated.
Towongo Santo, a local government officer assisting in the operation, reported that 34 goats were impounded in the Freedom Square and Civil Hospital area within just one hour of the first day of enforcement.
Santo noted that the county had issued repeated notices to livestock owners to keep their animals confined. However, despite these efforts, animals continued to graze freely, often entering cultivated farmland and causing destruction. This, he said, had created unnecessary tensions between farmers and animal owners, particularly in the context of the country’s worsening economic situation.
He confirmed that the operation will continue for two weeks, aiming to reduce such community disputes and prevent further damage to food sources.
Lemeri Peter, a security guard at the county offices, recounted that two residents of Yei were surprised when their animals were impounded. They went to the County Headquarters at 6:00 PM, only to be advised to return during regular working hours.
Local resident Mary Michael welcomed the operation, saying farmers had suffered for too long.
“We are suffering as farmers because many people who rear animals do not control them and some are even aggressive,” she said.
She further explained that stray animals contribute to food insecurity by eating crops and destroying farmland, occasionally resulting in open disputes between communities. She called for all livestock to be properly confined to allow peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders.
Initial Animal Seizures in Yei Crackdown
| Location of Seizure | Number of Animals Seized | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Hospital Area | 34 goats | First hour |
| Freedom Square | Included in above total | First hour |
| Total (Day 1 Estimate) | Over 30 animals | Afternoon period |
