By Yiep Joseph
Former Governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal State and newly appointed National Minister of Health, Sarah Cleto, has arrived in Juba to assume office despite controversial statements from the fragmented SPLM-IO.
Cleto, a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement In Opposition (SPLM-IO) under Dr. Riek Machar, was appointed by President Salva Kiir as National Minister of Health.
The Ministry of Health is one of the nine portfolios allocated to the SPLM-IO under Chapter I, Section 1.5 of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed on September 12, 2018.
However, Cleto’s appointment has sparked controversy, particularly from the SPLM-IO faction under Dr. Machar, which claims it was not consulted by the President.
In contrast, the SPLM-IO faction led by Par Kuol welcomed the appointment. Gai Mayen Luk, an SPLM-IO Member of Parliament, described the appointment as “unilateral and unconstitutional,” implying a lack of consultation with the party’s leadership.
Confusion continued as several online reports suggested that the newly appointed Minister of Health had declined the position; however, both Cleto and the SPLM-IO faction in Juba refuted these statements.
Despite the controversies, Cleto arrived in Juba on Monday to be sworn in and assume her duties in the Ministry.
During her reception at Juba International Airport, Riak Maker Mading, a member of communications and public relations in the SPLM-IO National Secretariat, confirmed that the new Minister of Health came to take on her role.
Maker stated that the SPLM-IO in Juba welcomed the Minister and was prepared for her swearing-in ceremony.
He dismissed claims that Cleto had declined her position, attributing those rumors to enemies of the peace agreement.
“She (Health Minister Sarah Cleto) has come to Juba and will assume her role after her swearing-in as National Minister of Health,” he confirmed.
He urged the public to disregard online rumors, affirming that the SPLM-IO under Stephen Par Kuol remains committed to implementing the peace agreement.
Recently, the Doctors’ Union appealed to the transitional government for the urgent appointment of a health minister, citing current health emergencies in the country.
This call followed President Kiir’s dismissal of Health Minister Yolanda Aweil Deng, leaving the position vacant.
Dr. Abak Rafael, the union’s Information Secretary, emphasized the critical need for a minister to engage with partners in response to ongoing health outbreaks.
“We have many challenges in the health sector. Before the former minister’s dismissal, we were dealing with outbreaks of M-pox and cholera,” he said.
He also highlighted concerns over the Ebola outbreak in neighboring Uganda, noting, “This raises significant concern for us as doctors, especially with such a sensitive position left empty during this critical time.”
“Our rapid response department is active, but there are pressing issues that require a minister’s presence, particularly in terms of engagement and collaboration with other partners to address this crisis in the country,” he added.
The union urged the government to consider appointing a competent and qualified professional to lead the Ministry of Health.