Governor Adil Anthony shakes hands with the Acting Mayor of Juba City Emmanuel Khamis in Juba before departing to Turkey for a business tour. | Photo: CES/Facebook

A group of women rights activists have added their voices to the calls for immediate removal of the acting mayor of Juba City for slapping a female street vendor.

The women say they acknowledge the efforts of the Central Equatoria Government towards decongesting Juba city and ensuring proper waste management.

They also appreciate the acting mayors’ efforts during the past two months in working collectively with the people to beautify and improve the city.

However, they were dismayed by the video of the acting mayor physically assaulting a female roadside vendor near the Seventh-Day Roundabout.

“We observed with great concern the acting mayor’s unacceptable behavior which constitutes a violation of human rights. He physically assaulted a female street vendor while brandishing a pistol to intimidate the other vendors.

“We demand that the Central Equatoria Government immediately remove the acting mayor of Juba City Council from this position and hold him accountable for his crimes in a court of law,” the statement partially read.

The 11 women’s rights activists and women’s rights organizations also call for an apology from the acting mayor to the slapped lady.

“We demand that the acting mayor publicly apologize to the female vendor he assaulted and to all women of South Sudan for his failure to respect the dignity and equal rights of women,” they added.

The women went on to appeal to the national government and the state government to take appropriate and effective measures against any government official found abusing citizens and violating their human rights.

They also appealed to the national and state governments to allocate designated areas along the streets for women vendors to trade their goods and support their economic growth.

The groups advocating for action by the state government include the Women Organization for Justice and Equality, Women Empowerment Initiative South Sudan, Women and Youth Empowerment Initiative, and Alba Foundation for Women and Girls.

Others include NWERO, VFC, YPSS, Women and Children Protection Initiative, Women Action for Society, Women and Advancement Organization