Joseph Monytuil, the Governor of Unity state - Photo Credit: Office of the President - August 17, 2022

The Council of States has written to President Salva Kiir Mayardit to sack the Governor of Unity State, Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil.

The Upper House criticized the governor for failing to curtail series of deadly incidents of violence in the oil-rich state, since the beginning of this year.

The letter signed by Speaker Deng Deng Akoon, and addressed to President Kiir condemns the incidents of killing in Unity State.

“The August House unanimously resolved that the Hon. Governor failed to address the insecurity crisis in the state and its neighbors, ….to recommend to H.E. the president of the Republic removal of Hon. Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil Wejang, the governor of Unity State,” the letter reads in parts.

On Monday, the lawmakers summoned Governor Monytuil to answer questions over the summary killing of armed opposition officers in Mayom County early this month.

Monytuil was then slapped with a vote-of-no-confidence, and asked to resign or be removed through a presidential decree, for allegedly failing to curtail insecurity in the oil-rich state.

The legislature said the governor did not prevail over the incidents of deadly violence, including the atrocities in Leer County in April, killing of Mayom County Commissioner and the extrajudicial execution of armed military officers early this month.

Riaw Gat-Lier Gai, an MP representing Leer County of Unity State, and appointed by the ruling SPLM party, told Eye Radio that the lawmakers impeached Monytuil after he failed to convince the house over the unlawful execution of armed opposition fighters.

According to Gat-Lier, before the incidents, the governor had defied several summonses by the Council of States to answer questions related to insecurity in the state.

In April this year, the Commissioner of Leer County said inter-communal raids in the area left at least 35 civilians dead, displaced thousands, and led to loss of livelihoods.

The attacks, involving armed youth, was a spillover of the SPLA-IO fighting in Mirmir cantonment site in the previous month.

Survivors of the violence who spoke to Eye Radio at the time, narrated disturbing atrocities including killing, raping, burning villages, looting, and destruction of livelihoods.