Ex-Juba mayor Kalisto says ‘political positions are not permanent’ after sacking

JUBA – The former Mayor of South Sudan’s capital Juba, Kalisto Ladu, has welcomed his sacking, saying political positions in any given society are not permanent saying ‘leaders comes and leaders go’.

Kalisto was sacked in a surprise gubernatorial decree by the Central Equatoria State Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony sparking social media uproar with citizens urging President Salva Kiir Mayardit to intervene.

Speaking to reporters in Juba during the inauguration ceremony of his successor Michael Lado Thomas Allah-Jabu, Kalisto said he came to congratulates Allah-Jabu and that political positions are not permanent, they come and go.

“Allah-Jabu is my friend and comrade and political positions are not permanent [and] leaders come and leaders go.  I have come to receive him wholeheartedly and to handover the office to him and I was hearing that the office was broken behind him, so I was saying, ‘what is happening?'” he said.

He denied rumors that he has been arrested and said that he cannot be arrested because he was doing the right thing as service delivery and road pavement are provided for in the local government act.

“I am not arrested at all and why should I be arrested? And I was doing the right thing and if there is any mission, I will say that it is the right thing according to the law. South Sudan must be organized whether people like it or not and people must abide by law, the demolition must continue, roads must be open,” he said.

He warned people who have return to vend on the roads saying the new Juba mayor will also works to follow his footsteps.

“You people who have come along the road, thinking that the Mayor have gone, it is not about me, it is about the program, it is about the law, who ever come will follow,” he said.

“Juba City Council has a clear mandate in the local government act, service delivery and development,” he added.

Thank you for appreciating my job

The former mayor expressed happiness on the people of South Sudan who have shown solidarity with him following his sacking saying he was stunned by the solidarity he saw on social media.

“My message to the people of South Sudan is thank you I have seen your solidarity with me and I thank you for having appreciated my job and this is what I want. I am not here to please and individual,” he said.

“I am here to implement the laws of South Sudan and the local government acts. I am very proud because of the people of South Sudan, keep on opening the roads, keep on going out from the roads,” he added.