Category: Politics

Peace agreement on track -says Minister Makuei

The government spokesperson is urging the public not to pay attention to the controversies over the removal of the Defense Minister saying the peace agreement is moving on well.

Last Friday, President Salva Kiir sacked Denfese Minister Angelina Teny and switched the ministry to his party, SPLM.

He also fired Interior Minister General Mahmoud Solomon and handed the Interior Ministry to the SPLM-IO.

However, Machar’s camp condemned the reshuffle and demanded the defense minister be reinstated.

The main opposition party said the decision was unilateral and a violation of the peace agreement.

Speaking to reporters in Juba following a cabinet meeting, Minister Makuei said the President and his First Deputy met on Friday, without stating the outcome of the meeting.

However, he assured the public that the peace agreement is moving on course.

“My message to the public is that don’t pay attention to what is happening. Be assured that the agreement is moving on well, the implementation is going on, and if there is any issue in the presidency, they will be addressed,’

‘There is nothing that needs me to say whether there is a violation of the agreement or not.  “To me, it is not a violation, as long as they are talking,” Makuei added.

When contacted, the press unit of the president says it was preparing a statement on the meeting.

On Thursday, the Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint and Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) Charles Tai Gituai encouraged consultation among parties to resolve the removal of the minister of defense and veteran affairs.

 

 

R-JMEC urges prompt talks between Kiir, Machar

The Reconstituted Joint and Monitoring and Evaluation Commission is encouraging consultation between President Kiir and his First Deputy Dr Riek Machar to resolve the sacking of the Defense Minister as soon as possible.

“R-JMEC welcomes the decision of the President and First Vice President to meet and discuss the issue of the removal of the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs, and the swapping of the two ministries,” said peace monitor Charles Tai

Last week, President Salva Kiir dismissed the Minister of Defense Angelina Teny and the Minister of Interior Mahmoud Solomon.

In a separate decree, Kiir also swapped the two ministries between  SPLM-IG and  SPLM-IO.

Angelina Teny, an SPLM-IO politician was appointed to the defense ministry in March 2022, a month after the unity government formation.

Meanwhile, General Mahmoud Solomon was appointed in November 2021, as minister of the Interior replacing Paul Mayom Akech.

Reacting to Kiir’s decrees, the main opposition party, SPLM-IO said the party was not consulted in the decision to replace Angelina Teny.

The press secretary in the office of first vice president Puok Both Baluang said the presidential decree was a violation of the peace agreement.

However, an expected meeting between President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar has been postponed twice this week.

The principals’ meeting was meant to discuss the recent unilateral decrees and violations of the peace agreement.

In a statement issued Thursday, the peace monitoring body RJMEC says it welcomes the decision of the President and the First Vice President to meet and discuss the issue of the removal of the ministers.

Charles Tai, the chairperson of the peace monitoring body called on the parties to observe the letter and spirit of the 2018 peace deal.

“We urge the Parties to observe the letter and spirit of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), which is founded on collaboration, consultation, and agreement between the parties.”

The peace body added that it is important that the crisis is resolved as soon as possible so that the peace agreement continues to be implemented in a timely manner.

Local leaders in Manyo County demand freezing of oil revenue account

Community leaders in Manyo County are calling for the immediate freezing of the area development account after the Commissioner dismissed the chairman and two members of the 3 % oil share revenue committee

On Sunday, Commissioner Peter Awon Adong sacked Ibrahim Ajageng, the community chairperson alongside Musa Ali and one other.

In the order dated 21s of February 2023, Awon said he made the decision following a consultation with the community members.

In response, the community representatives wrote to the Upper state governor, stating that the commissioner’s order was unilateral.

According to the letter, dated March 3rd, 2023, the community leaders said the commissioner dismissed the individuals after they protested alleged misuse of the fund.

They described the move as illegal and demanded that the community development bank account be frozen until the matter is resolved.

The dismissed chairman of the Committee, Ibrahim Ajageng spoke to Eye Radio Wednesday.

” The commissioner did not mention in his order  any reason for the dismissal, he didn’t mention anything, but some days back we disagreed on some issues,

“He come up with his law to regulate the work of the Committee and gave himself 30% of the fund which we rejected.”

When Eye Radio contacted, the commissioner of Manyo County Peter Awon Odhong says he has not yet seen the community’s press release that was issued since last week.

” I have not yet got the letter.  If I get it I will be in a position to respond to you,’ he  said.

In February this year, the government of Upper Nile State resolved that all the counties in the state will benefit from the three per cent of oil revenues allocated to oil-producing areas in the state.

 

Defects in security sector not govt policy to abuse citizens -Elia

The weaknesses in the country’s security sector should not be interpreted as a government policy to abuse its citizens, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro the Minister of Cabinet Affairs has said.

The official said the country with the improper security sector is still building institutions from zero.

He was commenting on the yearly reports by the UN Human Rights Council about the continuous human rights violations in the country where violators go unpublished.

Dr. Martin Elia described South Sudan as a “nascent” country, which is still establishing itself.

“This country is nascent, it is a new country, and doesn’t have a properly established security sector that we are still building even the unified force,” he said.

“We expect certain weaknesses in the system, and those weaknesses should not be construed to be a government policy to abuse its own citizens after a long, long period of liberation,” he added

Last month, the UN Human Rights Council for South Sudan called on the  leaders to end attacks on civilians and prioritize peaceful and just transition.

The commission said it for years documented repeated human rights violations and it is still shocked by the sexual violence and continuing attacks against civilians.

It added that extrajudicial killings also continued, implicating senior State officials, who have enjoyed impunity even where the crimes have been caught on camera.

 

 

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