Calls for removal of Akobo county commissioner intensify

June 9, 2015 (JUBA) – Members of the Anyuak tribe in South Sudan’s Jonglei state county of Akobo are demanding that their commisioner, Timothy Taban Joch resigns from his position.

In a letter signed by several Anyuak leaders in the diaspora, the ethnic group in Akobo claimed the had violated the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan.

“Article 63 (1) (g) states that Membership of the National Legislative Assembly shall be lost on assumption of any constitutional office in a state or local government level,” partly reads the letter, also extended to Sudan Tribune.

The chairpersons of Akobo Anyuak Coordination Council in the diaspora, Australia and 13 other representatives in United States and Canada duly acknowledged the letter.

The Anyuak leaders further claimed to have held a tele-conference meeting on Saturday 31 May, to bring the matter to the attention of Jonglei caretaker governor, John Kong Nyuon, the national assembly speaker, Manase Magok Rundial and president, Salva Kiir.

“Honorable Manasseh Magok Rundial, the Speaker of South Sudan National Assembly to relieve Honorable Timothy Taban Joch from South Sudan National Assembly effective and backdated April 2014 after assuming the Akobo Commissionership position corrupting the assembly,” reads the letter.

“Honorable John Koang Nyuon, the care-taker governor of Jonglei State to relieve Honorable Timothy Taban Joch from Akobo County Commissionership effective and back-dated April 2014 or from the date of his appointment as Akobo Commissioner for accepting the post cheating residents of Akobo County and Jonglei Government,” it added.

The Anyuak also want Joch, who also doubles as a lawnaker in the national assembly, to relinquish both positions, claiming he was disrespecting South Sudan’s constitution.

Joch was elected MP in the 2010 elections and appointed a commissioner in 2014.

When contacted for comment, Juch said the authors of the letter were acting illegally.

“It was the leadership who propose me to go to Akobo because of this crisis,” the Akobo county commissioner told Sudan Tribune by phone from Juba on Tuesday.

“I was consulted and I accepted the request to help and try to identify my role within the community. By that those who wanted me to resign are illegal committees,” he added.

(ST)

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