The chairperson of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance says the Secretary General, Keluel Agok, who accused him of mismanaging funds for the alliance, has bee relieved, but Mr. Keluel says otherwise.
Akuoch Ajang was responding to one of the claims by Keluel Agok that the chairperson has unilaterally extended his tenure in office.
Mr Keluel said the six months given for the executive to conduct an election to appoint a new leadership has elapsed.
But Akuoch told Eye Radio that Mr Keluel was dismissed because he was acting out of the organization procedures and should not be speaking as the secretary general.
“Keluel has been relieved on the 11th of this month and he is no longer the secretary general of the alliance. He has been writing and collecting unauthorized signatures and making resolutions which are not officially addressed in a meeting,” said Mr Akuoch.
“I have used the constitution of the Alliance correctly. Any election is not done by the Secretary General; it is done by the body of the Alliance in which the chairperson is authorized to form an electoral committee and conduct elections,” he added.
Mr. Akuoch said the current economic and security situation in the country is not favorable to conduct elections, prompting him to put the exercise on hold.
In response, Mr. Keluel Agok rejected the decision saying he is still the Secretary General, with the same status as Mr. Akuoch.
“As I speak now, I speak in the capacity of the Secretary General. The chairperson does not have the power and legitimacy to relieve the Secretary General of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance. I am elected,” said Keluel.
The dispute over the position comes after Mr. Keluel Agok, accused Mr. Akuoch Ajang of being responsible for the organization’s funds being diverted into private accounts.
However, Mr, Akuoch dismissed the claim, saying no donor would accept to deposit funds for an organization into a private bank account.