Machar allies claim Kiir’s party perpetuating illegally removal of Western Equatoria governor

JUBA – The main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny have claimed in a statement that the ruling SPLM-IG under President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Western Equatoria State is plotting to remove Governor Alfred Futuyo.

This comes after the deputy governor, Kennedy Ganiko of the SPLM-IG, said during a press conference on Saturday that Governor Futuyo is involve in corrupt practices undermining the functioning of the transitional government in the state.

Deputy Governor Ganiko also accused his boss of indefinitely suspending council of ministers’ meetings “without any clear administrative and legal reasons” and further charged that the governor “does not follow the government established system to administer state affairs,” as well as deduction of civil servants’ salaries by at least 30%.

The deputy governor further claims that “the citizens of Western Equatoria State hold the First Vice President and Chairman of SPLM-IO Dr. Riek Machar Teny responsible for appointing and maintaining the incompetent and misinformed Governor in spite of the continuous cry of the people of Western Equatoria state against the Hon. Governor.”

In a counterstatement extended to Sudans Post, the SPLM-IO dismissed the corruption allegations against the governor and accused the deputy governor of orchestrating plots to unseat the SPLM-IO governor, saying it has been the intention of the ruling part to remove the governor.

“The Deputy Governor started mobilizing some members of the SPLM-IG to go on the street for demonstration and withdrawal from active participating in the Government of Western Equatoria State since it has been his intention from the beginning though some members were forced to take part in video conference,” the statement extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

“Constitutionally, the action taken by the Deputy Governor who is the SPLM-IG Chairperson and Rt. Honorable Speaker of the State August House is a criminal offense and punishable by law under the supreme Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan,” he added.

The strong-worded opposition statement further stressed that the SPLM-IG is the country’s ruling party and a major signatory to the revitalized peace agreement and should respect the implementation process of the agreement, and accused the Kiir-led group of plotting coup against Governor Futuyo.

“The SPLM-IG is the ruling party in the Country and the main signatory to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and therefore, represented at all level of the Government enshrined in the Agreement,” the statement stressed.

“Our partner in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) has finally come out publicly after mobilizing their few SPLM Members to stage a coup against the same Revitalized Transitional government which is the only solutions for Peace, Development and Economic Recovery in the Country,” the statement added.