Members of the Panyon community gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the official inauguration of Cuei-Adukan Payam, a newly established administrative unit under Rumbek Central County in Lakes State.
The ceremony, held in Cuei-Adukan, was attended by local chiefs, elders, women leaders, youth, government officials, and community members.
Speaking at the event, Lakes State Minister of Cabinet Affairs Stephen Mathiang Deng said the creation of Cuei-Adukan Payam was a response to community demands for improved access to government services. Previously, the area was a boma under Amongpiny Payam.
“Cuei-Adukan is about 90 miles from Amongpiny,” Deng said. “The farther a community is from the administrative center, the more marginalized it becomes. That’s why Governor Gen. Rin Tueny Mabor responded to the call to bring services closer to the people.”
Deng emphasized that the creation of the new payam aligns with the SPLM policy of bringing “town to the people instead of taking people to town.”
He also assured residents that Cuei-Adukan Payam was legally established. “This payam is not created in a vacuum—it meets the administrative requirements, including distance, population, and economic viability,” he said.
According to Deng, residents of nearby Abien-Ajok Payam contributed nearly 20 million South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) in under five hours for the construction of administrative offices in Cuei-Adukan, signaling strong community support and financial capacity.
He encouraged residents to continue paying taxes, which would be used to fund local services. Deng also addressed local administrators and chiefs, urging them to leave border disputes between bomas, payams, counties, or states to the government.
Community Reactions
Rose Arop Makur, the women’s chairperson of Cuei-Adukan Payam, expressed her gratitude during the event.
“I am very thankful to Governor Rin Tueny Mabor, Commissioner Dut Manak, our chiefs, and the neighboring communities for making this dream a reality,” she said. “It is now our collective responsibility, along with the support of the government and partners, to build hospitals, schools, police stations, and administrative offices in our payam.”
Paramount Chief Sabit Kuac Manyiel also praised the development and pledged full support from the traditional leadership.
“This new payam will thrive in terms of development. We aim to live peacefully with neighboring communities,” he said. “The community has already contributed 14 cows to support the new administrative unit, and we will continue to mobilize more resources.”
He added that visible infrastructure like schools, police stations, hospitals, and offices will be key indicators of progress.
Executive Chief Majak Deng Mabok of Maleng-Agok Payam also attended the event and extended his community’s congratulations.
“We thank Governor Rin Tueny Mabor for implementing the SPLM slogan of bringing town to the people,” he said. “Today we celebrate Cuei-Adukan, and soon we will celebrate the inauguration of Abien-Ajok Payam.”