South Sudan’s top police officers welcome sacking
January 11, 2016 (JUBA) – The two high ranking South Sudanese police officers sacked from their positions through a presidential directive over the weekend have welcomed the president Salva Kiir’s decision, describing it as a “normal administrative practice”.
“My family and myself have welcomed the changes. It is a normal administrative practice everywhere in the world. The president has the right to make changes if they are deemed necessary for the interest of the nation”, Kuol told Sudan Tribune on Monday.
He said he is ready to accept any assignment in any capacity in the nation.
“We are part of the system and when it is decided that changes should be made, we should be the first to welcome and provide support. General Andrew Kuol and I are waiting to welcome our new colleagues. We will work with them where our support is required”, said the ex-police chief.
Meanwhile, Nyuon expressed delight for having been granted an opportunity to serve as deputy inspector general of police in the country.
“First I congratulate the president of the republic of South Sudan, General Salva Kiir Mayardit for the trust he had in me and my colleague General Pieng Deng Kuol when he appointed us. I also would like to thank him for appointing our new colleagues so they can now take over from where we stopped. I also congratulate our new colleagues on their appointments. I assure them of my support whenever they need it,” said Nyuon.
He further added, “This is our country and we must all work together for delivery of better services to our people. The work of the police is to maintain law and order and to protect citizens and their properties. This work cannot be successfully achieved without the support of all of us”.
The South Sudanese president sacked several top police generals, two days after his government lost the ministry of interior to the armed opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of the country’s former vice-president, Riek Machar.
Kuol and his deputy were replaced with Makur Arol and Biel Ruot respectively, according to a presidential decree read on the state-owned South Sudan Television SSTV.
The order did not, however, explain why the changes were made especially at the time the South Sudanese government and the armed opposition faction are expected to form a transitional government of national unity.
The docket of the ministry of interior, according to the selection of ministerial positions conducted last Thursday, will be occupied by a nominee of the opposition faction of SPLM-IO, which will recommend a new inspector general to command the police force in the world’s youngest nation.
Kuol previously served as deputy chief of general staff for finance and administration in South Sudan’s army (SPLA) before being removed from active military service in 2013 and put on reserve list of senior military officers who have been awaiting reassignment. His former deputy was one of the longest serving high ranking police officers in different capacities until his appointment to serve as the deputy inspector general of police.
(ST)