Ex-presidential advisor on military affairs Awet Akot debunks reports he supports anti-Kiir protests

JUBA – Former South Sudan’s Presidential Advisor on Military Affairs Daniel Awet Akot has debunked reports that he is one of senior SPLM leaders supporting on the ongoing calls by the People’s Coalition for Civil Actions (PCCA) to remove President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President and leader of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

This comes after social media users in South Sudan circulated speculations that top government officials and senior members of the ruling SPLM party including Akot, senior Presidential Advisor Kuol Manyang Juuk, and Vice-President for Economic Cluster Dr. James Wani Igga are fed up with President Salva Kiir’s government and therefore want him to resign.

However, in an interview, Daniel Awet who also once served as the deputy speaker of South Sudan’s National Legislative Assembly said he does not sympathize with the calls by the People’s Coalition for Civil Action to go to the streets to remove the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit from power saying he hasn’t spoken to any of the PCCA leaders.

“I do not know their leaders. I don’t know who they are, and I am not interested in things that will cause division and violence. We have had enough, and it is time for people to allow the government to implement the revitalized peace agreement,” the senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement said, according to Sudan Tribune.

Civil rights groups are planning to take to the streets on Monday in which they will call for end of President Salva Kiir’s government. The People’s Coalition for Civil Action, the United Citizens for Change, the Red Card Movement, and the National People’s Movement are expected to head to the presidency, J1 in the capital Juba ad also to state secretariats to ask for departure of Kiir’s government.

The government has made threats against protesters saying they will use guns to bring down the protests and the government in Juba and the states has already deployed troops in preparation for a violent respond to the protests.