Activist Wani Michael tweeted that Madut is “a disgrace to the Judiciary” and should resign from his position. He said that Madut “is purely an SPLM member and does not qualify to hold the position of the Chief Justice as the Constitution provides.”
Wani said Madut’s appearance at the rally is a “disgrace” to the independence of the judiciary and that the judiciary is supposed to be impartial and above politics.
CJ Madut is currently presence at a rally by President Kiir in Wau and his attendance is seen as endorsement of a political leader in a country where elections are expected to be disputed or contested.
Madut has not yet responded to the criticisms.
The controversy over Madut’s appearance has highlighted the ongoing debate about the separation of powers in South Sudan.
South Sudan’s constitution guarantees the separation of powers, but in practice, the executive branch has often been seen as dominating the other branches of government.