S. Sudan governor denies switching allegiance from government

December 7, 2016 (JUBA) – The Governor of Northern Liech, one of South Sudan’s newly-created states has dismissed reports that he switched allegiance from government in fear that he would be removed from his position in the upcoming gubernatorial reshuffle.

Joseph Nguen Monytuil is in his area in response to the president’s directive asking all governors to be at their headquarters to be close to the people they govern and to help in the dissemination of the peace agreement, which the government with armed and non-armed opposition signed in August 2015.

In an interview with Sudan Tribune, Northern Liech state information minister, Lam Tungwar said the governor, himself and the entire state administration were surprised by what he described “as unfounded and baseless lies by anti-peace elements in the state”.

“I went to the office of the president and met with the minister in the office of the president to clear the air about these allegations. It is not true the government has defected. He is still with the government and is now in the state for the mission assigned to him by the president”, Tungwar exclusively said on Wednesday.

He said the state government would lodge a legal pursuit of those behind the allegations, which he described as defamatory in nature.

In October, South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir threatened to dismiss state governors who use public resources to pay luxury hotels instead of remaining with their respective constituencies in the states.

President Kiir expanded the country’s 10 states to 28 a year ago – a move criticized as violation of the August 2015 peace agreement, which was signed based on the 10 states and the economic challenges.

(ST)