S. Sudan’s presidential minister says Kiir ‘not the problem’ on delays in peace implementation

JUBA – South Sudan’s Minister for Presidential Affairs Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin has dismissed claims that President Salva Kiir Mayardit is impeding the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement after activist Rajab Muhandis said in a resignation letter from R-JMEC that Kiir is intentional impeding the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.

Earlier this week, Muhandis resigned from the R-JMEC and withdrew his signature to the revitalized peace agreement as the signatory to the agreement as representative of the South Sudan Civil Society Forum (SSCSF) accusing President Salva Kiir Mayardit of intentionally jeopardizing the implementation of the agreement because he don’t want change in the status quo.

“This letter is to inform you and the membership of SSCSF of my intention to resign from my position and responsibilities as the representative of SSCSF in RJMEC effective September 12, 2021, the occasion of the third anniversary of the signing of the R-ARCSS. My resignation comes after careful evaluation of the status of implementation of the R-ARCSS and drawing a conclusion that maintaining support for the stalled Juba-centric peace process is no longer in the best interest of the suffering masses in the country and in the refugee settlements,” he said in his resignation letter dated September 12.

“Those mandated by Article 1.1.1 of the R-ARCSS to implement the peace agreement have lost confidence in the peace process. While launching the Workshop on the Constitution Making Process on July 25, 2021, the President publicly declared that the peace agreement is too complicated to be implemented, and that those who designed the agreement did not intend that it would be implemented,” he stressed.

However, Barnaba Marial blamed the slow implementation of the peace deal on the economic situation and “reluctance” by key members of international community to support the implementation of key provisions of the peace accord saying President Salva Kiir Mayardit is for the full implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.

“Let me tell you that the president is not the problem. He (Kiir) is for peace and for the full implementation of this peace agreement,” he said, before calling for patience and support to enable the full implementation of the agreement.