Mundri East commissioner bans gatherings
The Commissioner of Mundri East County has issued a local order banning gatherings to discourage idleness and promote agricultural activities in the area.
Margaret Fouzia said the local order issued last week is intended to mobilize farming communities to fight hunger, after a UN report indicated that the area may witness famine this year.
Commissioner Fouzia argues that social gatherings such as funerals, weddings and others are prohibited until the end of the farming season.
“We have declared war against hunger and we have to farm, so I have made a local order, this order is going to be implemented by all county offices, the chiefs and everybody in the country,” she told Eye Radio.
“There will be not gathering in Mundri East at all. We all need to go for farming all of us, so this is the order I have made and I have encouraged all my people that we have to continue farming.”
“Only after the end of farming (season), we can have other social gathering and social issues where people will gather like 50 or 100 in one place that one will be allowed.”
“But for now, this thing of people gathering in Mundri East is not allow because all of us we have to go for farming.”
She argues that these assemblies encourage laziness and affect agriculture as people waste time in unproductive discussions and unnecessary relaxation.
Commissioner Margaret said the issue has contributed to the rising commodity prices in the local markets.
Farming activities are the major source of livelihood in Mundri East County in addition to small scale livestock farming.
The order stipulates that violators will be imprisoned indefinitely until they practically commit themselves to farming.
The violators will be forced to farm an estimated three acres to the government to be released.
According to the Commissioner Margaret the order will be immediately executed by the security agencies in the county immediately.
There are two farming seasons in Mundri East of Western Equatoria that’s April and July.
