Don’t usurp powers of other peace partners, Jonglei activist tells Kiir

BOR, MARCH 5, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A South Sudanese civil society leader in Jonglei state is blaming President Salva Kiir Mayardit for the ongoing disagreement between the SPLM-IG and SPLM-IO over the removal of the ministry of defense and urged the president not to usurp powers of other signatories to the peace agreement.

On Friday night, Kiir – a one of the main two signatories to the revitalized peace agreement – issued several presidential decrees including two for dismissal of the ministers of defense, Angelina Teny of the SPLM-IO, and interior Mahmoud Solomon of the SPLM-IG.

Kiir in a separate decree swapped the two ministers, shifting defense portfolio – which belonged to the SPLM-IO until Friday night – to his party and gave the interior ministry which belonged to his party away to the SPLM-IO.

The SPLM-IO in a statement following a day-long meeting on Saturday condemned the presidential moves which it said were unilateral and so violates the revitalized peace agreement that gives each party signatory to remove its own members from the government at will.

When contacted by Sudans Post, Bol Deng Bol, Chairperson of Jonglei State Civil Society Network, said the president is wrong and warned him against stealing powers of the other signatories to the revitalized peace agreement.

“It is entirely wrong for President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who equally is a Partner to the Peace agreement, to consistently assume and usurp powers of other co-signatory/partners,” he told Sudans Post from Jonglei state’s capital Bor.

He further said that the presidential moves are “blatant violation of the accord and can potentially affect implementation of the Roadmap.”