The Torit and Kapoeta cities in Eastern Equatoria state are among some of the most developed cities and towns in South Sudan. The Eastern Equatoria state is located in the southeastern region of South Sudan. It is situated at the extreme border with Uganda in the south, Ethiopia in the southeast, and Kenya in the east. However amazing and impressive Eastern Equatoria state is, our focus is drawn to Torit and Kapoeta cities.
These cities show the other side of South Sudan that is often not talked about as much. Because of many years of fighting and political instability, South Sudan was embroiled in a complex civil war. But this perception has changed, and South Sudan is now a tourism and commercial hub, with Torit and Kapoeta cities in Eastern Equatoria state at the center of this conclusion.
Identifying these cities and their vast attractions in the deep Eastern Equatoria state, it is better to split them. From the time peace was restored in the southern states of South Sudan and in the whole country, the cities of Torit and Kapoeta in Eastern Equatoria have been developing at a good speed. This highlights the vital role of peace and stability in the development of a nation or region.
Torit city
If one visits Torit city today, they would not believe it was once a hotbed of insurgents. Before the time South Sudan gained independence, a civil war broke out in 1955 in Torit city. This was the first Sudanese civil war, and it quickly spread to other areas and states. This war shaped the political sphere of Torit as a city and Eastern Equatoria as a state, and also other states across the current South Sudan. This war was also among the reasons that led to the sovereignty of South Sudan in 2011. However, this is all due to the partially unfortunate history of Torit city.
On a lighter note, Torit city rose from a war zone to a highly developed commercial area. This earned this area the capital status and the headquarters of the Eastern Equatoria state. Torit City is the main administrative area of this state. Approximately 8 major counties make up the Eastern Equatoria state. The Torit County, which is arguably the most popular, hosts the city of Torit. Torit city has an estimated population of over 33,657 people as of 2008; this number may have increased.
The city of Torit is relatively developed with a variety of infrastructure, such as the main educational institution of higher learning in this state, the Equatoria International University. The city is located about 150 kilometers from the capital city of South Sudan, Juba.
This means it can take about 3 hours by car to get to the capital from Torit city along the Torit highway. This city also hosts the Torit Airport, the major airport in the Eastern Equatoria state. This airport has helped to ease travel to this city from the capital, Juba, taking just about an hour on a scheduled domestic flight.
Kapoeta town
As Torit city is the main administration center of the Eastern Equatoria state, Kapoeta town comes in as an economic hub. Kapoeta town is an economic hub because it has some of the mining areas of this state. Kapoeta town is also a transit town for people journeying to Kenya. This is because this town is located about 275 kilometers east of the Kenyan border. The last population census of 2008 put the population in this town at about 7,000 people.
Kapoeta town is dominated by the Toposa tribe of people. These people are renowned pastoralists herding livestock, including cattle, sheep, and goats. The Toposa people live in the plains of Kapoeta town, which are often semi-arid. The Didinga people are also present in this area and are commonly cultivators.
South Sudan is predominantly a semi-arid country, and cultivation is often seen as a myth. However, it is not entirely true, as the Kapoeta town has some wetter hills that receive a reasonable amount of rainfall. Such areas are inhabited by the Didinga tribe, which practices farming and crop production. This adds to the economic muscle of Kapoeta town in Eastern Equatoria state.