By William Madouk
Former Commissioner of Kapeota North County, Epone Emmanuel Lolimo, has declined his appointment to the state assembly in Eastern Equatoria State by President Salva Kiir.
Mr. Lolimo clarified that he is not opposing the decision but rather prefers his previous position.
He also called upon the president to reinstate Simon Lodowong Macharinyang, who was previously removed from his post, noting that Macharinyang had made a significant impact.
President Salva Kiir on Friday night dismissed the Speaker of the Eastern Equatoria State Legislative Assembly and sacked county commissioners in Eastern Equatoria, Central Equatoria, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states.
In a decree read on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation, Kiir revoked the appointment of Sarafino Maira Jamus as the speaker of Eastern Equatoria State Parliament along with a legislator, Simon Lodowong Machanyang, both of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Party.
He then appointed the SPLM Party’s Charles Udwar Okech the speaker of Eastern Equatoria State Parliament and Epone Emmanuel Lolimo as a parliamentarian to replace the removed duo.
In another decree, the president sacked Magwi County Commissioner Otto David Remson and Kapoeta North County Commissioner Epone Emmanuel Lolimo both of the SPLM Party, and Kapoeta South County Commissioner Angelo Lominate of the South County from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).
He replaced them with, Polepole Benjamin Olum, Magwi County Commissioner, (SPLM), David Naye Lomor, Kapoeta North County (SPLM), and Paulo Lokole, Kapoeta South County (SSOA).
In Central Equatoria State, Kiir dismissed Isaac Moro Genesio, Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement (SSOA), Amar Silman Laku, Deputy Chairperson Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (NDM), and Charles Joseph Wani, Juba County Commissioner (SSOA).
He replaced the officials with, Leone Abe Brown, Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement (SSOA), Francis Mathew Soka Kuri, Deputy Chairperson Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (NDM), and Emmanuel Tete Eizbon Simon, Juba County Commissioner (SSOA).
In Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, the president relieved Diing Aher Ngong, Minister of Animal Resources Fisheries and Tourism (SPLM), and Kerubino Tiep Tong, Aweil East County commissioner (SPLM) and swapped their positions with Diing Aher Ngong becoming the Aweil East County Commissioner and Kerubino Tiep Tong the Minister for Animal Resources Fisheries and Tourism.
In yet another decree, Kiir appointed Christine Narem Peter Longole as a parliamentarian to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) to replace the late Peter Longole.
No reasons were given for the changes although the former Magwi County Commissioner Otto David Remson was arrested and detained and the former Minister for Local Government and Law Enforcement in Central Equatoria State was suspended by the governor several months ago.