Press Secretary in the Office of the President, Lilly Martin Manyiel response to the Sentry Report - Credit:Moses Awan/Eye Radio March 1, 2023

The Presidential Press Secretary says the meeting held on Friday between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar did not end without a breakthrough as reported by some media outlets.

Kiir and Machar held the meeting that was previously postponed twice, to discuss the dismissal of Angelina Teny and the swapping of the ministries of defense and interior between the SPLM and the SPLM-IO.

The meeting was also attended by the entourages of Kiir and Machar, including Presidential Advisor Tut Gatluak, Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, and Presidential Affairs Minister Dr. Marial Benjamin among others.

Dr. Marial said the two leaders had “frank deliberations in a friendly atmosphere that reflected the spirit of reconciliation, prosperity, and commitment to the peace agreement.”

In a press statement on Saturday, Lilly Adhieu Martin Manyiel insisted although there was no consensus, the consensus among the parties to meet at a later date was a positive commitment “to resolve the issues at hand in the spirit of cooperation.”

“Therefore, any attempt to portray this as an impasse threaten to jeopardize the spirit of the meeting,” Lilly said in a statement.

“Furthermore, given the keen public interest in the outcome of yesterday’s meeting, it is important that our duty to inform should not be overtaken by the urge to sensationalize issues of national importance.”

The official further rebuked “media professionals, particularly, media staff in the Office of the First Vice President to be mindful of their responsibilities towards peace and stability in our country.”

President Kiir fired Defense Minister Angelina Teny and Interior Minister Mahamoud Solomon through a Republican Decree read on the national television SSBC last week.

The president also swapped two ministries, the Ministry of Defence to the SPLM party and the Ministry of Interior to SPLM-IO through a similar Presidential decree.

However, the SPLM-IO has protested the move that it was not consulted.

Machar meets peace guarantors

Meanwhile, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar met with representatives from the RJMEC, IGAD, the African Union and the United Nations, at his residence on Saturday, according to his office.

The meeting reportedly discussed the ministerial changes which the main opposition party claims to be unilateral.

“The representatives of the regional and international bodies discussed…..the recent unilaterally issued Republican Decree on the relief of Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs and an Order swapping the concerned ministry with the Ministry of Interior.”

Dr. Ismail Wais, the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan urged the peace parties to work together in the “spirit of collegial collaboration.”