38 Taban-allied lawmakers warn Kiir against “wicked” exclusion from parliament, states gov’t

JUBA – At least 38 lawmakers allied to the country’s vice-president Taban Deng Gai have issued a statement slamming the appointment of the states government in which President Kiir did not allocate any position for the former SPLM-IO faction led by Taban, amid reports that the president is also weighing to exclude most members of Taban-allied lawmakers from the upcoming reconstituted parliament.

In the statement extended to Sudans Post this evening, the lawmakers expressed “shock” over Kiir’s appointment of states’ governments without any representation for Taban saying such move contradicts the revitalized peace agreement which gives Taban a share of the allocated positions to the ITGONU in all levels of governments.

“Your Excellency issued Decree No:11, 12, 13, 14 on 20th and 22nd February 2021 establishing the State Government of Central Equatoria, Northern Bhar el Gazal, Unity and Warrap States respectively. We are indeed deeply shocked and dismayed because the Decree omitted the nominees of the former SPLM/A-IO led by Gen. Taban Deng Gai despite the fact that we are part of ITGONU as clearly stipulated in Article 1.3.1 of the R- ARCSS 2018,” the lawmakers says.

“Our serious fear is that if the bad development in these states is copied by the other states, then our group will be completely excluded from participation in the State and local governments in the country,” the strong worded statement adds.

The lawmakers also raised concerns by an internal proposal by the acting SPLM-IG Secretary-General Jemma Nunu Kumba in which the senior ruling party official seeks to restore some lawmakers who were elected to the Sudanese parliament during the last elections in 2010 which the lawmakers say will cost them their positions in the national legislature.

“We are also deeply concerned with the proposal of the acting Secretary Generalof SPLM which was submitted toyou concerning the expansion and reconstitution of the National Legislature, Her proposal allocates: (a) 165 seats for those elected to Juba NLA in 2010 to be maintained. (b) 91 seats for those elected to the Legislative Assembly in Khartoum in 2010 to be maintained. (c) 47 Presidential appointees to the NLA in 2011 to be maintained,” they said.

“Thus the total number of seats for the SPLM alone will be 303 out of 332 leaving only 29 seats for the other parties in ITGONU. Furthermore out of the 29 seats, ten will be allocated to some elected members in 2010 leaving only 19 seats for those who were appointed in 2016.

“If her formula is followed, it means that the majority of the 68 Presidential appointees in 2016 as a result of the 2015 ARCSS will have been excluded. Consequently the 50 members of the former SPLM/A-IO led by Gen. Taban Deng Gai will have been wickedly excluded.

“Your Excellency, our humble prayer to you is to maintain the unity of our people and parties which have been historically supporting you since the 2016 crisis by distributing the 332 seats fairly.”