South Sudan’s Jonglei state governor mocks greater Bor celebrations for new state
October 11, 2015 (JUBA) – Caretaker governor of Jonglei state, General John Kong Nyuon, has mockingly told greater Bor citizens who have been celebrating the unilateral creation of new states by president Salva Kiir “not to jump too much and break their legs” due to the new state which has curved out the ethnic Dinka’s three counties from the rest of the tribes in the state.
Greater Bor communities have been extremely excited and declared 7 days during which to celebrate the decreeing of their state. They also began to divide power between the Dinka communities in the counties of Duk, Bor and Twic East, before the controversy surrounding the new 28 states could be resolved.
Speaking during a meeting in Bor on Sunday, caretaker governor Kong said he supported the creation of new states by the president but called for caution, saying a lot needed to be done in order to realize them.
“We are all happy with the creation of the [new] states and let us work hard to implement the decree, let us all support our president in order to defeat the international community who say the order is not wise,” said Kong, speaking to state government officials in a briefing centred on the presidential order number 36 that increased the states from 10 to 28.
“But I tell you don’t jump too much because if you do so, your legs will break, and what if you are annoyed too much, it will have an impact on you,” he said, in direct reference to the 7-day celebration declared by Bor youth when the order was announced on October 2.
President Kiir read the establishment of 28 states order on the state-owned South Sudan Television (SSTV) early this month, surprising both local and international observers, having signed an agreement with armed opposition leader Riek Machar in August.
Machar condemned the order as violation of the peace agreement which was signed based on the current 10 states in resolving the 21-month long civil war in South Sudan, under the mediation of the regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and its international partners.
The opposition leader during the 20 months of peace negotiations with president Kiir also tabled a proposal for 21 states to be based on the former colonial districts which have historical boundaries.
Machar, in the 21 federal states proposal also created the same Jonglei state for the three counties of greater Bor, but did not receive such a celebratory reception as is the case with the same creation by president Kiir. He also last year created Phow, Bieh and Pibor states, curved from the state, and resembling president Kiir’s new Western Bieh, Eastern Bieh and Buma states, respectively.
Caretaker governor Kong, whose Jonglei state is now divided into four new states mocked the state officials saying “some of you are very active now, preparing to be governors and ministers.”
If the establishment is implemented, Kong will be a citizen of Western Bieh state where his Fangak county falls. He took over from elected governor, Kuol Manyang Juuk, in August 2013 when Juuk was appointed minister of defence.
The caretaker governors, according to the South Sudan’s transitional constitution, 2011, are supposed to call for gubernatorial elections 60 days after appointment. However, this provision has not been observed and 8 caretaker governors appointed by president Kiir have been serving indefinitely, with only 2 being elected ones in the country’s 10 states.
(ST)