Latjor governor denies switching allegiance to SPLM-IO

July 13, 2016 (JUBA) – The governor of Latjor, one of South Sudan’s new states has denied reports alleging that he and several other ethnic Nuer members switched allegiance to the armed opposition led by first vice president, Riek Machar.

Peter Lam Both, in an interview with Sudan Tribune Wednesday, dismissed the allegation as untrue, pledging full allegiance to President Salva Kiir’s government.

He said what was widely circulated on social media were “false”, reaffirming his full loyalty to the country’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

Both was among several prominent ethnic Nuer figures, including the governor of Northern Liech state, Joseph Nguen Monytuil, General Charles Lam, Eastern Bieh state governor Peter Bol Koang as well as some members of parliament at the national assembly in Juba, speculated to have defected from the government in protest of the clashes at presidential palace in which more 272 rival fighters are confirmed to have died.

Latjor’s governor, however, dismissed the allegations as “untrue and unfounded”.

The rival leaders in the South Sudanese conflict unilaterally declared cessation of hostilities to end four days of fighting between their forces in Juba on Monday.

Hundreds of soldiers have been killed on both sides for the cause none of the two leaders could explain. On Monday, however, probably in response to the mounting pressure from the international community, the two leaders agreed to a ceasefire.

(ST)