By Gladys Kole
The local authority in Akobo County has bitterly dismissed the alleged shifting of allegiance by traditional chiefs to President Salva Kiir’s camp, the SPLM, saying that it’s a ‘concocted’ propaganda by anti-peace elements.
This comes after a ‘wild’ propaganda surfaced on social media alleging that the traditional authority of Akobo West had declared their allegiance to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Walgak Payam.
Reacting to the matter, the commissioner of Akobo County of Jonglei State, John Chuol Tot stated that, the information is a mere’ fabrication’ meant to’ soil’ the image of chiefs.
“Akobo County’s leadership sighted the wild propaganda circulated on social media that traditional authorities of Akobo west had declared their allegiance to the SPLM political party in Walgak Payam,” Tot said in a statement seen by this outlet.
“This is a complete fabrication circulated by the anti-elements of peace to jeopardize and tarnish the well-regarded image of Akobo west’ traditional authority, ” he added.
According to him, the purported video was taken in January 28, 2023 by anti-peace elements who intended to manipulate innocent chiefs who have nothing to do with politics and political matters.
Mr. Tot called on the public to remain calm and disregard what he termed as ‘defamation’, adding that traditional authority is a non-partisan body that serves people equally without discrimination.
“County authority would like to inform the public and particularly, people of Akobo to remain calms and disregard this mere defamation video as we all know that, traditional authority is none partisan body,” Akobo commissioner clarified.
He added that chiefs are learned people and they are well aware of their job descriptions that require them to be neutral.
Akobo authority cited that people should not rely on social media to feed them with fake information, advising the public to only rely on authorized officials as this official the like of this statement.
“Akobo west authorities have provided an alibi press statement in video camera disregarded the alleged fake declaration,” Tot noted.