Members of the Chollo (Shilluk) community in Makal County, Upper Nile State, are calling for the removal of their county commissioner amid growing tensions over allegations of a proposed coordination office in Malakal town.
The controversy centers on unconfirmed reports suggesting the county headquarters may be relocated outside of Malakal, which serves as the capital of Upper Nile State, Malakal Municipality, and Makal County.
Commissioner Michael Othow Bol was sworn-in as the new Makal county commissioner in June.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Kobfer Amum, a community leader from Makal, said political figures are fueling unrest by spreading rumors to destabilize the area, which has enjoyed relative peace in recent years.
“There have been rumors of a plan to establish a coordination office for Makal County in Malakal,” Amum said. “This concerns us because Malakal is already part of Makal County—there is no need for a separate coordination office.”
Amum said that when a community committee attempted to meet with Commissioner Michael Othow Bol to seek clarification, they were met with a heavy security presence.
“We found security forces deployed at the commissioner’s residence, and we were intimidated,” he said. “The state security advisor was present and threatened us while we were seeking dialogue.”
He added that the commissioner’s stance undermines community trust. “He said he wouldn’t oppose a government directive to establish a coordination office, which shows he is not serving the interests of the community,” Amum stated.
The community has since appealed to Governor James Koang Chuol for intervention, urging a peaceful resolution.
Simon Nyareth Ayik, a youth leader in Malakal, echoed the call for dialogue.
“No one opposes Malakal being the seat of the state and municipality,” Ayik said. “But creating a coordination office for the county within the town is redundant. The old county headquarters is currently occupied by the municipality, while its original offices are empty.”
Ayik called for clearly defined boundaries between the municipality and the county, emphasizing that the commissioner’s support for the rumored office effectively isolates him from the community.
Commissioner Othow denied allegations of any plan to establish a coordination office in Malakal.
“There is no plan for a coordination office. I am based in Malakal as commissioner, so it wouldn’t make sense,” he told Radio Tamazuj. “The proposal was only for my official office, not a coordination office.”
He accused some local politicians and community members of inciting unrest to unseat him.
“These people attacked me at my office last week,” he claimed. “Security forces were deployed to protect me, not to intimidate anyone. The rumors are baseless and politically motivated.”
Othow also alleged a campaign to force him out of office. “They once said they would remove me within three months if I didn’t resign. There are political interests behind this.”
Civil society activist Ter Manyang Gatwech, executive director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), called on state authorities to intervene.
“The government must address this issue through dialogue,” Gatwech said. “If it continues to remain silent, the situation could escalate further.”