Ex-Taban lawmaker quits SPLM, claims he joined Kiir under duress and cites institutionalized land theft

JUBA – A South Sudan former lawmaker who was loyal to then First Vice President Taban Deng Gai, now one of the five vice-presidents, has declared his intention to resign from the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement  (SPLM) faction led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit saying he was forced to join the ruling party by Mr. Taban.

Jibril Tap Gatjiek, a lawmaker who was appointed to the former Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) representing Rubkona County under terms of a 2015 peace agreement, said in a statement extended to Sudans Post on Thursday that all politicians who were lawmakers in the parliament representing Taban’s SPLM-IO faction were humiliated, but could not say in what way.

“We, the 2016 groups led by the then first vice president and the current vice president H.E Taban Deng, we were disappointed and humiliated by president when he excluded us without responsibility sharing (percentage) either in central or states government, and due to that reason, H.E Taban has randomly integrated us into SPLM without proper procedures taken beforehand,” Tap said in the statement.

“I have decided to take this decision due to my deepest regret, disappointment manifested by SPLM leadership under H.E president Salva Kiir Mayardit I would like to inform you that I wholeheartedly rendered my official resignation with effect from today,” the statement added.

The former lawmaker who served from 2016 to May when President Salva Kiir reconstituted the peace parliament based on provisions of the revitalized peace agreement it was hard to imagine the many “difficulties and unforeseen circumstance I have gone through with some of my comrades.”

The official claimed in the statement that they were forced to join the ruling SPLM under President Kiir with reasons he said are not known to anyone other than Taban saying he was forced to join the group because of what he calls favoritism by Taban and said the president has given away part of Rubkona country to what is now Ruweng Administrative Area.

“Most of us if not all ,we were force to switch our allegiance to SPLM without our intention for the reason best known to the vice president H.E Taban Deng. As of now, the same reason that we joined SPLM’s mainstream without our consent or acknowledgement, it is the same issue that some of our members are now working base on favoritism instead of merit or loyalty,” he said.

“The irrefutable land of Leek community which is the northern Part of Rubkotna county has been annexed and carved to be part of Ruweng by president and Unity State Governor, therefore I cannot tolerate my ancestors land confiscation or the violation for the right of my community,” he added.