Eastern Lakes State

Eastern Lakes
State
Location of Eastern Lakes State within South Sudan
Country	South Sudan
Capital	Yirol[1]
Number of Counties	15[2]
Population  (2014 Estimate)
• Total	335,130

Eastern Lakes State was a state in South Sudan that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020.^[3] It was located in the Bahr el Ghazal region and it bordered Southern Liech to the north, Western States to the west, Amadi to the southwest, Terekeka to the southeast, and Jonglei to the east.

History

On 2 October 2015, President Salva Kiir issued a decree establishing 28 states in place of the 10 constitutionally established states.^[4] The decree established the new states largely along ethnic lines. A number of opposition parties and civil society groups challenged the constitutionality of the decree. Kiir later resolved to take it to parliament for approval as a constitutional amendment.^[5] In November the South Sudanese parliament empowered President Kiir to create new states.^[6]

Rin Tuec was appointed Governor on 24 December.^[7]

Geography

Administrative divisions

After the split up, Eastern Lakes State broke down even further for a total of 8 counties in the state; later 11 and recently 15. The 15 counties are part of the 180 counties in South Sudan. The 15 counties are consisted of the following:^[8][9][10]

• Former Yirol South County:
  • Awerial Centre; headquarters: Awerial
  • Awerial East; headquarters: Abuyung
  • Awerial North; headquarters: Buna-gok
  • Awerial South; headquarters: Guol-yar (Mingkaman)
• Former Yirol East County:
  • Adior; headquarters: Adior
  • Lou; headquarters: Nyang
  • Malek; headquarters: Malek
  • Yali; headquarters: Yali
• Former Yirol West County:
  • Abang; headquarters: Abang
  • Aluakluak; headquarters: Aluakluak
  • Anuol; headquarters: Anuol
  • Geer; headquarters: Geer
  • Madbar; headquarters: Madbar
  • Ngop; headquarters: Ngop
  • Yirol Centre; headquarters: Yirol Centre

The counties are further sub-divided into payams, and the payams are then further sub-divided into bomas.

List of governors of Eastern Lakes State

The governors of Eastern Lakes State in the order of first to last are the following:

1. Rin Tueny Mabor
2. Bor Wutcok Bor
3. Mangar Buong Aluenge

References

1. "Full list of Kiir's proposed new 32 states in S Sudan". Radio Tamazuj. 3 October 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2016.^{[dead link‍]}
2. "Tonj State Capital Attacked By Pastoralists". Radio Tamazuj. 20 April 2016. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
3. Mutambo, Aggrey. "S. Sudan govt agrees to reduce states to 10 to maintain peace". The East African. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
4. "Kiir and Makuei want 28 states in South Sudan". Radio Tamazuj. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08.
5. "Kiir pressured into taking decree to parliament for approval". Radio Tamazuj. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
6. "South Sudan's Kiir appoints governors of 28 new states". Sudan Tribune.
7. "South Sudan's President appoints 28 Governors, defies peace agreement". South Sudan News Agency. 24 December 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-02-02.
8. Magok, Mabor (18 August 2016). "Eastern Lakes State Governor Announces Creation Of Additional Counties". Gurtong. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
9. "Eastern Lakes Announces Additional Counties, New Commissioners". The Nation Mirror. Archived from the original on 2016-11-03.
10. "Four more counties approved in Eastern Lakes state". PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd - South Sudan. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2020.