Kiir sacks Latjor governor appoints former labour minister

November 22, 2019 (JUBA) – President Salva Kiir has issued a presidential order sacking Latjor state governor and replacing him with the former labour minister, sparking questions behind motives and circumstances under which the decision was taken.

According to a statement broadcast by the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation on Wednesday evening, Kiir removed Elijah Liech Bany from his gubernatorial position and replaced with Gathoth Gatkuoth.

The new governor of Latjor State Gen. Gtakuoth took the oath of office before the President Kiir at the State House on Friday.

In his remarks, the president advised the newly appointed governor to rebuild trust among the people of Latjor in particular and Greater Upper Nile in general.

Gathuoth had been fired by a presidential order early this year following a rift within the faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of the First Vice President Taban Deng Gai.

His sack came after Gatkuoth’s opposition for the dissolution of their SPLM-IO’s faction without following proper procedures.

At the time, the new governor also advocated for regional balancing, proposing that a deputy president should be allocated to someone from another region instead of the Upper Nile since Riek Machar and the nominee of the former detainees would come from the same region.

Following what, Gai opposed his stance and recommended his sacking from his ministerial portfolio.

For his part, Gatkuoth declaring himself as the interim chairman of the SPLM-IO faction in the government, arguing that Gai’s decision had caused confusion and uncertainty among the group supporters and military who ignored their fate within in the upcoming political set-up and arrangements.

(ST)