N. Bahr el Ghazal governor denies banning activities of other political parties
August 9, 2013 (JUBA) – The governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Paul Malong Awan, denied on Friday that he had banned the activities of other political parties in the northern border state.
Awan said that he only asked citizens to “stay away from politics questioning [the] rationality and circumstances which prompted the president to dismiss his deputy and dissolved the entire national cabinet”.
The dissolution of the national cabinet and the subsequent reshuffle was within president Kiir’s constitutional mandate, according to the governor.
“It would be advisable for the people who have ulterior political interest to use different avenues and reasons to express them instead of politicising [the] president’s reshuffling of his cabinet.”
He wen on to say that “the formation of the lean government by the president was long overdue, considering current economic situation in which the nation is going through”.
He was reacting to statements attributed to the recently sacked vice president, Riek Machar, in which he was quoted as advising against any infringement on personal rights and freedoms.
Machar, according to various media reports on August 7 and 8, accused Awan of violating the constitution by declaring in the state parliament during his address on Monday that he planned to ban political activities in the area.
Machar, who is still a deputy chairperson of the governing Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), fiercely criticised governor Awan, who is also a senior member of the former rebel group, of trying to “groom himself as a dictator”.
But Awan on Friday denied banning activities of other political parties in the state.
“During the opening of state legislative assembly, as state governor, I never ever or attempted to ban activities of political parties, instead, I just advised on my capacity as state governor the citizens of Northern Bahr El Ghazal state to stay away from interfering with ongoing political processes in Juba particularly formation of new cabinet. I urged the citizens not to indulge in political rallies until the formation of new government is completed. My statement did not target any particular political party”, Awan said in statement bearing his name.
The governor said that he is constitutionally to prevent any situation that may lead to instability in the area.
“That is why I took initiative to brief [the] general population that the President should be allowed to consult and form a lean government that is in the interest of the entire nation. It has to be noted here that dissolution and formation of new national cabinet is a sole responsibility of the President and it was on that basis I advised Legislators and Executive members to avoid political rallies or statements that may instigate the situation”, he explained.
Two state governors have been removed by Kiir this year apparently due to their failure to maintain security.
(ST)