Gov. Manytuil rejects vote of no-confidence, accuses Machar, Taban’s parties of conspiracy

JUBA – The ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party in Unity State has issued a statement rejecting the decision by the Council of States this week in which it impeached Governor Joseph Nguen Manytuil over escalating insecurity in several parts of the oil-rich state.

Since the beginning of the year, Unity State has been witnessing deteriorating insecurity including the deadly Leer violence in which dozens of innocent civilians were killed after armed militia allegedly allied to the government attacked several villages in Leer and Mayendit counties.

Mayom County also witnessed grim violence in recent weeks in which rebel forces belonging to South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) led by Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang attacked the county headquarters and murdered the county commissioner Major-General Chuol Gatluak Manimeh.

In retaliation, South Sudan security operatives executed four rebel officers believed to be allied to the SSPM/A which attacked Mayom town to kill the commissioner. One of the four rebel officers was killed by putting him on fire and the three others were executed by firing squad.

The Council of States earlier this week recalled Governor Manytuil for the deteriorating security situation and then slapped him with a vote of no-confidence and asked President Salva Kiir Mayardit to remove the governor who has however remained defiant to the decision of the Council of States.

In a statement this afternoon, the Unity State SPLM secretariat rejected the decision of the Council Of States, arguing that the Council has no constitutional right to issue a vote of no-confidence or impeachment against the governor.

“The SPLM secretariat of unity state, after thorough consultations with the state members of liberation council and all the SPLM members in various levels across the state, we are here to express our disappointment with the Decision of the Council of states in its ordinary sitting no5/2022, with the Resolution No.10/2022 on 22nd /08/2022 in Juba,” the statement extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

“In our view we would like to assure the public that the Council of states has no mandate or jurisdiction to withdraw confident from the Governor or to impeach the Governor. The Council of states in its competencies as stipulated clearly in article 59(a) to (h) of the Constitution 2011 (amended) the article 59 and its sub articles are talking about the monitoring of the Repatriation, Relief, Resettlement, Rehabilitation, Reintegration of Returnees, internally displaced persons, initiate legislations on the Decentralized System of Government etc,” the statement added.

It said that members of the Council of States, based on the provisions the statement quoted, “have failed to reflect or to exercise any one of their functions and duties to assist the people of unity state that were under serious displacement by the 2013 crisis and the two years floods that submerged most of the Counties and displaced hundred thousands of Civilians, we did not heard any voice of solidarity from the Council of States yet they are obstructing the efforts of Dr. Joseph Manytuil who is working day and night to make sure that the welfare of our people is paramount.”

The statement further accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) under First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and the defunct breakaway SPLM-IO faction led by Vice President Taban Deng Gai of standing behind the impeachment decision against the governor and said it is an act of revenge to exacerbate the situation.

“What had happened in the Council of states is a direct revenge from the elements that were fighting Dr. Manytuil from the SSOA, SPLM/IO of TD, and their mother the real SPLM/IO,” said the strong-worded statement.

“The three incidents of Leer and Mayom, starting by the motion raised by Hon. Riaw Gatlier in his terms persistent insecurity in Leer County. In our view, what had happened in Southern Liech was not a problem of the state Government as such, but it’s a problem of different armed groups present in the area and Riaw himself should be aware of that more than any other person since he came back from the Rebellion few years ago,” the statement further added.