Governor Louis Lobong Lojore in his office, in Torit town, Eastern Equatoria State. |Credit: Aliandro Lotok|.
Michael Losike Lokerui, a member of the Council of States criticized Governor Louis Lobong Lojore for allegedly contracting Aswa Mining—a gold mining company—without involving the communities of Katodori Payam in the initial negotiation process.
Louis Lobong the longest-serving governor of the Eastern Equatoria State, has long been accused of pillaging the country’s gold fortunes.
Losike alleged he was stunned to see the Aswa Company excavating gold in Katodori Payam without the consent of the host communities.
Losike said Governor Lobong refuted knowing the owner of Aswa Mining Company despite arresting 17 community members who questioned the illicit gold mining in their territories.
“When we asked him – who owns the company? he said he doesn’t know then we asked him who gave you the orders to arrest the communities in the area, he also denied it,” No.1 Citizen newspaper quoted Losike to have said.
The legislator also accused the East African neighboring countries of trespassing into the gold-rich region of South Sudan at the watch of the government.
“When it reaches certain areas our brothers of East Africa – they don’t recognize us as a strong state. like now our three soldiers have been arrested by them with their guns and also, they continue to already enter to the territory of South Sudan,” Losike said.
“This area of Kidepo, the Ugandan government also has already encroached inside [South Sudan] and arrested local people who were grazing there in Kidepo Valley,” he added.
In a statement to Golden Times, Barnaba Looleng Lotumo, a member of the Eastern Equatoria State Legislative Assembly, said the claims made by Michael Losike were contrary, citing that, Aswa Mining Company was granted permission by the national government to explore the gold fortunes in Katodori Payam of Kapoeta East County.
“Aswa Mining Company was introduced to the government of Eastern Equatoria State by the national ministry of mining which also requested the state government to provide the necessary assistance for the company to carry out exploration activities in the area,” Looleng said.
He downplayed the claims that the host communities were not informed about the gold exploration exercise in the area.
Looleng said Governor Lobong wrote letters to the state authorities and community leaders introducing the company as per the directives of the national ministry of mining, saying, Michael Losike was as well informed about the gold exploration plan in Katodori Payam.
He said the community members and Aswa Mining Company signed a memorandum of understanding on 19 July 2024 witnessed by representatives of the national government commencing the exploration work in the area.
Looleng asserted that 20 young men from the communities stormed the Aswa Mining Company in Katodori Payam and interrupted the road construction activities leading to the arrest of the youth who allegedly took the law into their hands.
In April 2020, The Sentry Report exposed Governor Lobong to enrich himself with the gold in the Greater Kapoeta.
According to The Sentry Report, the wives of this Governor Louis Lobong, Semira Ayen Althaeb, and Natalina Leonard Madrawi, as well as his son, Nachek Louis Lobong, all have held shares in companies established for the purposes of mineral extraction.
Governor Lobong lashed out at The Sentry Report connecting him and his family to illicit and lucrative gold mining in Eastern Equatoria State, describing the report as ‘a witch-hunt’ and politically enthused to tarnish the image of his family.
