Unity state: MPs deny backing calls to reinstate sacked governor
July 15, 2013 (BENTIU) – A section of lawmakers from the Unity state assembly on Monday denied ever asking South Sudan President Salva Kiir to reverse a recent decision to sack elected governor, Taban Deng Gai.
The president, under article 101(r) of South Sudan’s constitution, is allowed remove a state governor and/or dissolve a state Legislative Assembly in the event of threats to national security or territorial integrity.
It, however, stipulates that fresh elections be organised within 60 days from the time a caretaker governor comes into office.
The lawmakers, in a position paper obtained by Sudan Tribune acknowledged the president’s decision, while welcoming the newly appointed caretaker governor, Joseph Monytuil.
In the letter, the MPs say Unity state has largely been stable and wonder if political instability and insecurity is what prompted Kiir to sack the elected governor.
“But your Excellency, Unity state had never experienced any political instability and insecurity, which might have led to the removal of the governor elect. For we are here to oversee the state general performance, and save national interest that may threaten the state and national security”, partly reads the MPs’ letter addressed to the president.
DIVERGENT VIEWS
“We [MPs] are not against anyone neither the former governor nor the new caretaker governor just we support them to collaborate with us toward running the state affairs”, John Kaway chairperson of information committee said Monday.
He further stressed that both ex-governor and his successor were sons of the state and warned against practicing the “spirit of hatred”.
Peter Dak Khan, another lawmaker told Sudan Tribune they will carefully study the speaker’s letter, also copied to the country’s vice-president and ruling party (SPLM) Secretary General.
“If the letter that was sent by the speaker was only the resolution of our meeting [then] it is well and good because we welcome the decree and we congratulate the president,” he said.
“We also congratulated the new caretaker governor that is what we said in our resolution”, Khan added.
Until now, however, Unity state legislators remain divided on the recent presidential decree. For instance, while some seem to support calls to have Gai reinstated, others back the president’s decree that saw him removed from office.
The lawmakers’ position, comes less than a week after the country’s vice-president, Riek Machar wrote a similar letter asking Kiir to reverse his decision to sack the Unity state governor, suggesting it was done in violation of the country’s constitution.
Machar disclosed that he was not consulted, but heard of Kiir’s decision on television and challenged his boss’s assessment of the current security situation in the Unity state.
“I was in Unity state on June 29th, 2013, there is no insecurity that threatens national security and territorial integrity in Unity state, instead Governor Taban Deng Gai and his government was very instrumental in bringing about peace and stability to the state,” Machar said in the 7 July letter, also seen by Sudan Tribune.
“He [Deng] was solely responsible for the coming and acceptance of your timely pardon by the armed group of General Bapiny Monytuel Wicjang who abandoned opposition against the government of the Republic of South Sudan last May”, the letter reads in part.
The vice-president, in his letter, also reminded the president that Gai had won the 2010 general elections and thus had the same legitimacy as Kiir before the constitution and his people of Unity state.
Ironically, during the April 2010 elections Machar’s wife, Angelina Teny ran against Deng who was also the incumbent governor, but the latter ended up winning by a small margin.
The now appointed caretaker was in Teny’s camp during these elections. Machar also expressed “deep” concern that dismissal of the elected governor “might heighten tension and aggravate prevailing state of insecurity in the country that may lead to political instability”.
The country’s vice-president implored Kiir to reverse his decision, warning that in the absence of any objective reasons the move will be seen as politically motivated.
It is, however, unlikely that president Kiir will heed to the advice carried in the letter from his deputy as he has already proceeded with the swearing in of the new governor.
Machar’s letter is the latest sign of growing rift between Kiir and senior officials in his government and ruling Sudan People Liberation Movement.
The VP has stepped up his criticism of president Kiir accusing him of incompetence and failure to lead the state which became independent, exactly two years ago.
Meanwhile, Unity state’s ex-governor insisted that his removal by the president was “unconstitutional”.
“Recently when I went to America, the President was suspicious that I had meetings with American government that I’m pushing for Riek Machar election”, Gai told a congregation in Unity state last week.
He, however, said Machar is free to contest for the leadership of South Sudan, if he wanted.
(ST)