South Sudanese official sacked for meeting SPLM-IO leader

November 13, 2016 (JUBA)- A gubernatorial adviser in the newly created Tonj state of Bahr el Ghazal region, home to President Salva Kiir has been arrested and relieved from his position for meeting the former First Vice President and the leader of armed opposition, Riek Machar last April.

“Yes, I have been relieved from position as an adviser to the governor and arrested. I don’t know the reason because I was not told. But now I’m hearing from the personnel of the National Security Service that the order to arrest me came from the above,” Andrew Kuac Mayol told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

Mayol admitted meeting Machar in April after returning to the country in accordance with the provision of the August 2015 peace agreement which he and President Salva Kiir signed to the conflict which erupted in 2013.

“Yes, I met Dr. Riek Machar in April. It was nothing secret. I met him with other officials not only from Tonj from different states and areas in South Sudan who are still in the government holding key position,” Mayol said.

“We went to congratulate him for accepting to come to Juba so that this senseless war stops,” he added.

The sacked official said he was actually implementing a call by President Kiir.

“We did it so because President Salva Kiir himself called on all the SPLM leaders and members to help him lead reconciliation and forgiveness. It was not because I wanted to join him.”

The official claimed that he is being mistreated in the detention for no reason.

(ST)