SPLM-IO wants fair division of South Sudan cabinet posts
On 22 February, President Salva Kiir appointed SPLM-IO leader as his First Vice President in addition to four other vice-presidents representing the signatories of the peace agreement.
However, technical committees on the 35 cabinet members have failed to strike a deal paving the way for the government formation.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune on condition of anonymity, an SPLM-IO official close to the ongoing consultations said that the discussions are stalled because the SPLM-IG want to keep the important ministerial positions.
“We didn’t agree on allocation and selection of ministries because our partners want to take the all key ministries and position,” he said.
“The SPLM-IG does not have the right to give us what they want to concede,” went further to say stressing that the current government cannot “implement the revitalized agreement based on their interest”.
According to the source, if the SPLM-IG wants to have the foreign affairs ministry, they have to concede the cabinet affairs for the SPLM-IO.
The same for the defence and interior ministries, finance and petroleum ministries or health and general education etc…
Under the peace agreement, the SPLM-IG has 20 ministerial positions, the SPLM-IO 10 positions, the SSOA three posts and the Former Leaders two ministries.
(ST)