Municipal authorities in Torit town of Eastern Equatoria State have imposed a ban on parties held at night and unnecessary movements, in a bid to reduce crime.

The ban which came into effect last Friday follows increased reports of criminal activities at night including rape and fights in night clubs.

An order instituting the ban seen by Radio Tamazuj stated that night clubs have become a source of criminal acts and indicated that birthday parties can only be held from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, the Chief Executive Officer at Torit Municipal Council Hillary Lokudu Mohamed said anyone found violating the order will be arrested.

“We found that there are many occasions at night without approval from us and in these parties, people are fighting, they break people’s houses. We look at this as insecurity. It threatens security in the town that is why we came up with the order,” he said.

“A majority of the people in the police cells are youth. If there is a party you find that the youth fought, they rape so we don’t need parties at night because unnecessary movement at night is prohibited,” he added.

Gabriel Apot, the owner of Abalwa Bar located at Omoliha Market in Torit town said the order will affect businesses and instead asked the security officials to tighten security.

“This will really affect us, this business that we are doing if there is a disco at least customers will collect something one by one so it helps. Now the security is available, nobody will cause harm to anybody. There are national security, CID so there is nothing bad,” Apot said.

Apot insisted the shows done at the clubs are organized to promote peace in the town.

The chairperson for the state Civil Society Network, who also heads the Peace Link Foundation Charles Okullu Cypriano welcomed the order but said it is not enough to end criminal activities.

He said authorities should instead initiate night patrols and strengthen community policing to combat crimes.

“We welcome the order if there are most issues related to the night clubs however that is not sustainable. Criminals are criminals they can still design other means for doing what they are doing only that the authority needs to design a better way for actually combating the issue of the criminals,” Okullu said.

According to the Local Government Act 2009, section 57 (b) and (c), municipal councils are to preserve security and protect people within its territorial integrity and maintain law and order.