New Lakes State ministers take oath
May 4, 2012 (RUMBEK) – The new Lakes State cabinet was sworn in on Friday but only 11 out of 13 minister took their oaths of office as two of the members of parliament put forward were rejected by other MPs in the state assembly.
The proposed Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Pur Cienggan Dakbai who was a former minister of Finance and Trade Industry, was rejected as well the former Food Security Advisor Macuor Marial Wuol who is currently serving as the minister for Labour and Public Services.
The Minister for Culture, Youth and Sport was not present during the swearing in ceremony but no reason for he absence was provided.
Lakes State Governor Chol Tong Mayay, warned the new cabinet that if they failed to deliver results within six-months he would not hesitate to make a new appointment.
Any “minister who will not deliver basic services will be removed from constitutional post without consultation to neither community nor parliament,” he said.
Mayay called upon the new ministers to face the challenges of development, security at borders as well education, infrastructure and health
All 12 of Lakes State’s ministers are members of South Sudan’s ruling SPLM. One ministry was allocated for another political party but a candidate was not put forward the SPLM say.
Argument over UK football leaves 3 dead in Yirol West
Authorities in Yirol West County of Lakes State say that three people were killed on Thursday morning due to a row between supporters of two rival English football teams.
An argument between a Yirol West resident and the bodyguard of the County Commissioner is believed to have triggered the fighting at the local football club, where they were watching Manchester United on Television. The supporters exchanged abusive language and were separated by elders.
Then early on Thursday morning, two of the commissioner’s bodyguards are accused of attacking the house of the man they argued with shooting two men and – in the crossfire – one girl.
Peter Kot, the brother to the deceased, accused the Yirol West County commissioner for having instructed his bodyguard to kill his brother after his car was damaged by stones in fighting outside a TV area in the town.
The bodyguard came to the house the day after the argument dressed in “military uniform and they immediately start shooting at my brother”. The killings were a “instruction of commissioner” said Kot.
However, the County Commissioner strongly denied giving orders for the shooting saying he was “very surprised” when he heard gunshots on Thursday morning.
He said that a serious and speedy investigation must to be conducted to discover the facts.
(ST)