By Bida Elly David
The leadership of the peace partners; the SPLM and SPLA-IO are set to sit for a dialogue over unilateral decisions made by President Salva Kiir in governing the Unity Government.
This was revealed to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper by Puok Both Baluang, the Acting Press Secretary in the office of the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar on Friday 6th January 20223.
The scheduled meeting comes on the heels of the removal of the Speaker of Jonglei State Legislative Assembly, Amer Ateny Alier, who is a member of the SPLA-IO party through Presidential Decree.
“Today (Friday) this matter was discussed by the SPLM-SPLA-IO components in the council of ministers. And it was agreed that the two principals; the President and the Vice President have to meet on Monday (9th January 2023) to discuss this matter and other matters related to the peace implementation or the implementation of the road map” Puok said.
According to Puok, his party is dissatisfied with the President’s lack of consultation with her peace partners when making decision on matters of other political parties.
“The government has on several occasions been making decisions out of the blue – dictating the powers of the opposition that has been stipulated in the agreement. Decisions are being taken without alerting us. This is a violation of political party rights” he complained.
“Whenever the President of the Republic makes any decision, he should carry a consultative meeting meant to address the issues concerning any member of the SPLM-IO within the government” he stated.
Both added that any decision taken without recommendations from the SPLA or SPLM-IO as per the agreement, is null and void; and becomes unprocedural, and violation to the accord.
“It is only the party concerned which has the rights and mandate to choose any of their member for appointment, or removal to any position at the national or state level,’’ he reiterated.
The acting press secretary further said that the council of ministers has recommended the need for the two leaders (President Salva Kiir, and Vice President Riek Machar) to revise some of the procedures within the agreement for clarity.
President Salva Kiir issued wave of decrees dismissing some officials and appointed others in Jonglei and Unity State last Tuesday.
The decree on January 3rd 2023, led to the revocation of the appointment of the Speaker of Jonglei State Legislative Assembly, Amer Ateny Alier who was appointed in 2021 on SPLM-IO ticket.
However, President Kiir did not name Amer’s replacement and as usual no reasons were given for the mini reshuffle.
In a separate decree read on the state-owned SSBC on Tuesday evening, the head of state also sacked and appointed State Ministers, County Commissioners, and members of Independent Commissions of both Jonglei and Unity states.
President Kiir fired the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in Unity state, Rial Jany Tabuom and replaced him with Mathiang Dak Chol.