Kiir’s party urges SPLM-IO to ‘refrain from conspiracy’ in Unity State

JUBA – South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IG) faction led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit has denied claims by the main armed opposition SPLM-IO that it is obstructing the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement by refusing to appoint opposition officials as provided for in the agreement.

In a statement yesterday, the SPLM-IO chairman in Unity State Tor Tungwar Kueiguong who doubles as the deputy governor there accused Governor Joseph Nguen Manytuil of multiple violations of the revitalize peace agreement, saying the governor has kept suspending opposition officials without concrete reasons.

In response, the SPLM-IG secretary in Unity State Doctor Samaan Chutyier denied the accusations and said the ruling faction has always been committed to the implementation of the peace agreement citing the appointment of SPLM-IO officials to positions that have not been allocated to the opposition group by the revitalized peace agreement.

“On the implementation of peace in Unity State, we want to inform the public that the Government of Unity State has been implementing the Revitalize peace agreement in letter and spirit beyond reasonable doubt and went as far as considering the SPLM/IO members with the administrative positions and chiefs (Salatiin) which is not stipulated anywhere in the Revitalize peace agreement provisions,” Samaan said.

According to Samaan, the governor has powers to remove or suspend any civil servant who is committing violations of their duties in accordance with the law.

“In accordance with the Unity State Constitution 2011 amended Article 99. 2 (a), It’s the prerogative of the Governor to appoints, suspends and relieves all the Senior Civil Administrative officers such as County executive Directors, and Director Generals of various Ministries in the State,” he said.

“Concerning the Suspension of Constitutional post holders, it is only H.E. the president of the Republic to appoints and relieves through recommendation from the particular state Governor, however, it is also a mandate of the Governor to suspend any Constitutional post holder who is committing gross misconduct that may lead into the crisis such as one of Panyijair County Commissioner and others,” he added.

The statement claimed that the deputy governor is working to undermine the government of Unity State despite efforts of the governor to achieve the badly-needed peace across the country and accused the deputy governor of running a parallel government.

“Despite all the efforts made by the Hon. Governor Dr. Manytuil in uniting the people of Unity State by ensuring safety of the people in place and tirelessly rendering all the necessary social services to the citizens, Mr. Tor Tungwar is working day and night stabbing the State Government in the back while he himself has been inciting Communities and scapegoating his own heinous evil plans to volatize insecurity by barking shamelessly and loitering hopelessly in the State without any contributions as Deputy Governor,” the statement said.

“Instead, Mr. Tor Tungwar has been running a parallel administration in the State by keeping the SPLM/IO outdated structures with the aims of subverting the State Government and maintaining his loyalists with fake promises that he is still the Governor of the so called Liech State of their previous rebellion,” it added.

The statement accused the deputy governor of “collecting heavy river taxation from traders through parallel Military administrative operations in more than fifty river ports right from Panyijiar County up to Manga Port of Guit County. This clearly indicates that Mr. Tor Tungwar is the one deploying SPLM/A IO Commanders to obstructs the free movement of the commercial boats that led into sky rocking prices of commodities across the State.”

The statement further urged the deputy governor to “to refrains from the conspiracy and false allegations against comrade Dr. Joseph Manytuil Wejang the SPLM Chairperson and able Governor of Unity State” and urged “the SPLM/IO leadership in the Country that Hon. Tor Tungwar is messing up the spirit of partnership in the State, therefore, his present in the position as the top leader of SPLM/IO is too dangerous to the Revitalized peace Agreement.”