Josephine Lagu Yanga, the Minister of Agriculture - Courtesy

Some members of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance are calling on Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi to convene a meeting to resolve the leadership disputes within the group

Clement Juma, the Legal Advisor for the South Sudan Opposition Alliance says the party need to hold elections as its Chairperson is currently occupying office illegally.

This came after some party members accused Agriculture Minister Josephine Lagu, the current chairperson of the group of overstaying in office.

Hon Josephine who is also the National Minister of Agriculture was elected in 2019 as party chairperson.

The umbrella, which is made up of six opposition factions, also elected Mr. Hussein Abdel-Bagi Ayii as deputy chairperson in today’s vote in the capital Juba.

But according to a faction of the South Sudan Movement for Change, her tenure expired three years ago.

According to the alliance charter, the leadership is rotational with a sixth-month non-renewable term of office.

The party Legal Advisor says the alliance is not a one-party but rather a group of parties with common values and interests.

Juma is calling on Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi to organize a fresh election to elect a new leader of the alliance in accordance with the party charter.

“As a member of the coalition, we are calling on Vice President H.E Hussein Abdelbagi who is a link between the alliance and the presidency to call for a leadership meeting of the alliance. So that we can organize a fresh election to elect a new leader of the alliance in accordance with our charter,” said Juma.

“This is way forward because nobody has the legitimacy to call for a meeting because if your term of office has expired it is not renewable. Where are you getting the mandate to call for a meeting?

“The reason why the vice president will be neutral is because he’s’ the link because whatever we do concerning the peace agreement, he’s our representative in the presidency.”

For his part, the Spokesperson of one of the South Sudan Movement for Change factions, David De Dau says Josephine Lagu’s leadership term of office expired three years ago.

“Hon. Josephine Lagu’s Yanga’s term of office expired three years ago and hence she doesn’t warrant the chair of SSOA at this material time,” stated the statement signed by Dau.

“The law can not be suspended arbitrarily to suit the interest of individual members without proper review.”

In a letter dated 19^th of September, addressed to Chairperson SSOA and shared with the Presidency, the National Movement for Change said Governor Emmanuel Adil has made several unwarranted requests for the removal of Minister Genesio.