Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Juba City Council administration has ordered residents living within cemeteries in Munuki Block A, along the Juba New Site Road, to vacate the area within seven days.
The directive was issued by the Deputy Mayor for Social Services, Mr. Lual Joseph, during a visit to the cemetery on Friday.
Addressing affected residents, city authorities acknowledged the difficult circumstances that forced some families to settle in the cemetery but emphasized that the site must be preserved for its intended purpose.
Officials stressed that the cemetery is designated strictly for the burial of the deceased and must be respected.
Residents have been instructed to dismantle all tents and corrugated iron structures within the seven-day period and relocate to alternative areas.
According to the Juba City Council, the decision aims to restore the cemetery for proper burial use and to maintain dignity for the deceased, while urging residents to comply with the directive within the given timeframe.
Speaking to residents at the site, Mr. Lual Joseph said: “We understand that life’s circumstances have forced you to come and live here in the cemetery, and we know you are here to help your families. However, it is unacceptable to help others at the expense of the deceased. This place is designated for burying the dead and showing them respect, and it is not appropriate to live here.
“We will give you seven days to leave the site and dismantle the structures you have built. This seven-day period includes the time needed to dismantle the tents and corrugated iron structures and relocate them, so that the cemetery can once again be used for burying the dead,” he added.
In an interview with Eye Radio in October 2025, residents living in Hai Malakal Cemetery in Juba described the harsh reality of life within the city’s burial grounds.
Juba’s cemeteries have increasingly become makeshift homes—grim sanctuaries for the displaced, widowed, and impoverished—driven to the margins by years of conflict, soaring rental costs, and ongoing land insecurity.
In October, 2025, the Central Equatoria State Security Committee has ordered the Juba City Council and Juba County authorities to submit comprehensive reports identifying cemeteries currently occupied by residents, as part of efforts to develop sustainable solutions and reclaim public spaces.
In the same month, the Transitional National Legislative Assemblyunanimously passed a motion calling for the immediate development of a National Cemetery Management Policy to address the growing crisis of proper burial sites in South Sudan.
The motion called for a framework that would secure new land for cemeteries, regulate burial practices in line with cultural values, and safeguard existing sites.
It also recommended a nationwide audit of cemeteries and the establishment of a special cemetery for martyrs and organized forces, following models adopted by countries like Kenya and Uganda.
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