S. Sudan’s VP Igga calls on Machar to return home
February 12, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese Vice President, James Wani Igga, has called on the newly appointed First Vice President, Riek Machar, to return home immediately. Igga made the call after taking oath of office before President Salva Kiir a day after he was relieved and reappointed to a third position in the government as Second Vice President.
“I call upon my colleague Dr. Riek Machar to immediately respond to this patriotic and brotherly move by our president to appoint him as first vice president,” said Igga, flanked by ministers of cabinet affairs, national security and finance.
President Kiir relieved Igga on Thursday to pave way for appointment of Machar in accordance with the peace agreement to resolve the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan signed in August 2015.
The opposition leader has indicated his willingness to return to Juba to take his new position but only after his forces are transported to the capital in accordance with the security arrangements provided for in the peace deal.
Igga said Machar’s prolonged absence from Juba should not continue because “once you are appointed, you cannot continue to stay abroad.”
“It will be very odd representing a country [from] abroad. So the best for him really [is] to come and to come with his entire team,” he added, stressing that the government team is ready to name 16 ministers for the 30 months of transitional government of national unity (TGoNU).
He also added that the government is “ready for the formation of the cabinet” for the TGoNU.
“So we need the team of the IOs to also be sent to us so that even the appointment of cabinet is done and if there are outstanding issues of course; issues related to the ARC – the agreement for the resolution of the conflict, these issues as we sit together on the same table as brothers and sisters, I am sure we can address all these issues,” he said.
The parties disagreed on the number of states after President Kiir created more states two months after signing the peace agreement based on the existing 10 states. But Igga said that issue and others will be addressed by TGoNU.
“Whether these are the 28 states, whether these are their boundaries, whether these are their names, whether these are economic issues, whether these are what. If you are apart, then you cannot solve any problem but once together and cohesively, I believe we can remove any impediment on our way to progress,” he said.
“I am sure we will deliver to our people and the difficulties now – be the economic, social and so on that our people are facing, in a very short time will be addressed,” he said.
Government officials seem to use the appointment of Machar as a pressure tool for him to return to Juba soon.
(ST)