South Sudan insists peace accord has not collapsed

August 2, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan has dismissed as false allegations by its former agriculture minister that the August 2015 peace agreement had virtually collapsed.

Lam Akol resigned from the transitional government of national unity (TGoNU) on Monday over alleged failure by President Salva Kiir to respect the terms of security arrangements and the removal of former first Vice President Riek Machar as final blows to the peace accord.

He also said the peace accord was “dead”, adding he had joined “other like-minded compatriots” in quest for changes in governance.

But the country’s information minister dismissed claims by his agriculture counterpart.

“Lam Akol and Riek Machar are birds of the same feathers, opportunists and always follow each other,” Michael Makuei Lueth told reporters in the South Sudan capital, Juba on Tuesday.

He also described Akol’s decision to quit as “unilateral and anti-peace.”

“All the parties remain committed to the agreement and so Dr. Lam Akol should realize that he is the odd man out,” stressed Leuth.

Meanwhile, a national alliance of 18 political parties on Tuesday selected Kornelio Kon Ngu as its new chairman. Ngu served as deputy minister of agriculture in the new TGoNU.

(ST).