WBG governor wants president Kiir’s 28 states altered to 29

October 9, 2015 (WAU) – Governor Rizik Zachariah Hassan of Western Bahr el Ghazal state said he has protested to president Salva Kiir over his decree that named 28 new states, annexing Raja county in the state to the Dinka inhabited would-be state of Lol, curved from Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

Governor Hassan in a briefing to his cabinet ministers in Wau, the state capital, following his return from Juba, said he had already discussed his proposal with president Kiir to establish Raja county as a separate state, making the number of the new states 29 instead of 28.

“I have presented my complaint that Raga should be a separate state from Lol, this is what I met president about and there are some steps going on. I will tell you the detail tomorrow,” he told state officials in Wau on Thursday.

A committee, he said, will be formed that will deal with the complaints raised from all states so that if the decree is tabled before the national legislature, such complaints would be deliberated on and solution found.

He did not however reveal the nature of complaints from the other state governors which they also presented to president Kiir.

On Wednesday, chiefs in Raja county held a meeting and passed a resolution condemning the presidential decree which annexed their county to Northern Bahr el Ghazal’s new Lol state. They also warned that the decision would attract intercommunal conflicts between the community and the Dinka ethnic group in Lol.

But Hassan said generally the creation of 28 states was good for the implementation of the peace agreement signed with the armed opposition faction led by former vice president, Riek Machar.

He however accused the opposition forces of allegedly violating the peace deal, saying insecurity was increasing in the other regions of Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria.

“So far the implementation of the peace agreement is not going on well from the side of the rebels, as you know, there is ongoing violation through recruitment, mobilization by the rebels and violation of [cessation of] hostilities, in greater Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal. There are rebels activities which need a national enlightenment,” said Hassan.

He also revealed that during the recent meeting of the 10 current governors with president Kiir in Juba, the need to also increase the number of counties and payams was also discussed.

“We all agreed with the order of president on 28 new states because we all need new counties and payams and we [are] all still waiting for the response from the national assembly within 30 days,” he added.

(ST