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Boma
State of South Sudan
Location of Boma in South Sudan
Country	South Sudan
Counties	2 Pibor Pochalla
Capital	Pibor
Government
• Governor	Baba Medan Konya (first) David Yau Yau (last)
Area
• Total	41,654 km (16,083 sq mi)
Population
• Total	214,676
• Density	5.2/km (13/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3
• Summer (DST)	not observed

Boma State was a state in South Sudan that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It was located in the Greater Upper Nile region and was formerly part of the state of Jonglei. The state bordered Akobo State, Imatong State, Jonglei State, Kapoeta State, Bieh State, Terekeka State and the country of Ethiopia to the east.

History

Before Boma State was created on 2 October 2015, the area existed as a special administrative unit under called Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) which is headed by a Chief Administrator whose status is like that of state Governor. This came in an attempt to end the conflict that devastated Jonglei State for three years. The fighter demanded autonomy from Jonglei State government which marginalized the minorities such Murle, Anyuak, Jie and Kachipo.

On 2 October 2015, President Salva Kiir issued a decree establishing 28 states in place of the 10 constitutionally established states. 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. In November the South Sudanese parliament empowered President Kiir to create new states.

Baba Medan Konya was appointed as the Governor for Boma State on 24 December 2015. In February 2018, David Yau Yau became the state's governor. The state was dissolved in 2020.

Geography

Boma State was located in the Greater Upper Nile region and it bordered the states of Akobo to the northwest, Imatong to the southwest, Kapoeta to the southeast, Jonglei to the west, and the country of Ethiopia to the east.

It hosted Boma National Park, one of the largest national parks in Africa.

Administrative divisions

After Boma State was created, the state's seven greater counties under Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) were further split up into fourteen local government administrative units. GPAA was a special administrative status given to the two former Jonglei counties of Pibor and Pochalla as a result of peace accord between the central government and Gen. David Yauyau led South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army, Cobra Faction in 2014. Under GPAA the number of counties were raised to seven; namely Pochalla North, Pochalla South, Pibor, Lekuangole, Gumuruk, Jebel Boma and Vertet.

The fourteen counties of the former Boma State were Pibor North, Pibor South, Vertet, Liloth, Lilibok, Gumuruk, Lotila and Jebel Boma (all carved out of Pibor County), Pochalla, Adongo, Awetaballa, Burator, Otegu (carved out of Pochalla County) Counties. There are seven sub counties in the state. These sub counties were expected to either be upgraded into separate counties or demoted to return under the existing counties.

Towns and cities

The capital of the state was Pibor, South Sudan. The population of Pibor was estimated at less than 1,000 people in 2011. Another in the state of Boma include Pochalla, South Sudan, with lies directly on the border with Ethiopia. The town is about 470 kilometers (290 miles) from Juba via road.

References

1. ^ Mutambo, Aggrey. "S. Sudan govt agrees to reduce states to 10 to maintain peace". The East African. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
2. ^ "Boma State". south-sudan.biz. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
3. "Kiir and Makuei want 28 states in South Sudan". Radio Tamazuj. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08.
4. "Kiir pressured into taking decree to parliament for approval". Radio Tamazuj. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
5. "South Sudan's Kiir appoints governors of 28 new states". Sudan Tribune.
6. "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.
7. "3 ambassadors, 4 governors take oath of office in Juba". Radio Tamazuj. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
8. "Estimated Population of Pibor Post". Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
9. "Distance between Pochalla and Juba". distancecalculator.globefeed.com. Retrieved 27 November 2016.

• Greater Upper Nile
• Former states of South Sudan