Kiir urged to withdraw ministerial position from Bakasoro after joining ruling SPLM party

JUBA – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has been urged by South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) to withdraw the ministerial position given to Joseph Bakasoro after leaving the opposition alliance to join the government of President Salva Kiir.

In July, Bakasoro rejoined the ruling SPLM faction nearly ten years after leaving it.

Bakasoro is formerly the leader of the South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) which is a part of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance and he has been the minister of public service as part of the SSOA portfolios granted by the revitalized peace agreement.

Last week Bakasoro rejected calls for him to return the position to SSOA.

However, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) led by Josephine Lagu said the ministerial position being held by Bakasoro belongs to the opposition consortium and should be return to the alliance.

“Bakasoro has joined the SPLM party led by Salva Kiir, and we wish him the best, but he cannot go with the ministerial portfolio because according to the agreement, the position belongs to SSOA,” Lagu said, according to Radio Tamazuj.

“This would be a violation of the agreement, and we do not want that to happen. So we asked the competent authorities to withdraw the position from him, and the position will go to the members of the South Sudan National Movement for Change who are still members of the coalition,” she added.