File photo: Mabior Garang addresses reporters in Addis Ababa, May 23, 2018 | Credit | Eye Radio

The Deputy Minister of Interior, Mabior Garang has resigned citing insecurity and lack of political will to implement the revitalized peace agreement.

Mabior was appointed in March together with other ministers in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity to implement the peace deal that was signed in September 2018.

However, crucial provisions in the accord including security arrangements are yet to be implemented, and the government is only partly formed.

The principal peace parties – President Salva Kiir and the main opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar are yet to allocate states among themselves and reconstitute the national legislature – months after forming the cabinet.

After his appointment, Mabior had threatened to resign from the government if the peace parties failed to implement the security arrangements in 8 months.

In a resignation letter Wednesday addressed to Dr. Machar the SPLM-IO leader, Mabior Garang says the SPLM headed by President Kiir has no “intention to implement” the revitalized peace agreement.

“The security situation in the country has worsened; there is intercommunal violence in the three historical regions of Bhar-el-Gazal, Equatoria and Upper Nile, as well as in the three new administrative areas of Abyei, Greater Pibor and Rweng,” he said in his resignation letter seen by Eye Radio.

“This insecurity is directly related to our dismal failure to implement the security arrangements which should have been implemented in the pre-transitional period – it should have been the priority.”

He added that the R-TGoNU cabinet should have been formed after the implementation of the security arrangements.

Part of the security arrangements is the demilitarization of all major towns and civilian centers, disarmament of civilians and, the unification of forces.

Mabior also criticized the Presidency for its inadequate response to contain the spread of coronavirus despite surging numbers in recent weeks.

He, however,  stated that he only resigned as the deputy minister of interior, but will continue to be part of the SPLM-IO as a member of the political bureau and the Chairperson for Information and Public Relations.