Opposition alliance slams appointment of 28 governors in S. Sudan

December 25, 2015 (JUBA) – Leadership of the alliance of 18 South Sudan political parties has slammed a decision of President Salva Kiir in which he appointed 28 state governors.

The appointment follows a contested presidential order issued last October expanding the constitutionally recognized 10 states to 28 states in violation of a peace agreement he signed in August with leader of the armed opposition, Riek Machar.

The peace deal was brokered by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), with support of the Troika countries (United States, Norway and the United Kingdom) as well as china and other African countries in order to return the new nation to peace and stability.

Lam Akol, leader of the national alliance and head of the main parliamentary opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), described the decision as “a flagrant violation” of the constitution and the peace agreement which the government had signed with the armed opposition and other stakeholders.

“It is going to impair the peace agreement and we don’t know what will be the direction of the rest of the parties”, Akol said in reaction to the announcement of the presidential order. “It is one side now violating the peace agreement in a very substantial manner”, he added.

The influential and leading opposition figure in the country urged the guarantors of the peace agreement to immediately come out and put a bearing pressure on President Kiir to reverse his decision, asserting it would eventually undermine commitment to implementing peace deal.

Martin Abe Aligo, secretary general of the national alliance also described in a separate interview with Sudan Tribune on Friday that the decision of the president was a demonstration of commitment to derail the peace but not its implementation.

“There is nothing you get from this decision. The only message you get is a clear demonstration of commitment to unravel the peace. There is no indication of commitment on the part of the government to implementing the peace here. The actions of the government and the president are obviously against peace,” said Aligo.

“The leadership of the national alliance of political parties reject it and calls on President Salva Kiir to live up to his commitment to implement the peace agreement so that the country returns to law and order. Our people are tired of lawlessness. They are tired of war and ethnic antagonism,” he added.

(ST)