Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of SPLM liberation council members and municipal leadership at the SPLM House in Aweil, Madut stressed the importance of unity, accountability, and adherence to democratic principles.
“The election period is coming; kindly execute your duties in good faith. As we liberated ourselves from those who ruled us using an iron fist, or anarchy, it is time to follow democratic values through voting in and voting out the leaders,” he said.
The ceremony brought together senior state officials, including Presidential Advisor Awet Kiir Awet and Speaker of the State Assembly Abuk Jiel Dhieu, alongside SPLM secretariat members from counties and municipal councils.
Newly sworn-in leaders included officials from the Majok-Yith-Thiou Municipal Council, led by Moses Garang Malong, and the Aweil Town Municipal Council, headed by Garang Diing Deng.
Governor Madut urged the municipal SPLM leadership to prioritise unity among party members and work collectively to strengthen governance structures at the grassroots level.
In a separate address, the governor appealed for calm among residents following reports of killings in Jebel Iraq, involving youths believed to be from Aweil. While details surrounding the incident remain unclear, he assured the public that investigations are underway.
“As the report is emerging that Aweil children have been killed by unknown people, stay calm as investigations into the motives behind the killing will be brought to public attention, as those who were killed were innocent people who were fending for themselves,” he said.
Speaker Abuk Jiel Dhieu also used the occasion to task municipal leaders with supporting the reintegration of returnees and fostering peaceful coexistence within their jurisdictions.
“To the two mayors of Majok-Yith-Thiou and Aweil, I am appealing to you to work around the clock to help our people settle peacefully, including those who don’t belong here,” she said.
In response, the newly sworn-in officials pledged to work closely with the state government and SPLM structures to address local challenges and improve the livelihoods of communities across the state.
