By William Madouk
South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) puts Vice President for Service Cluster, Hussien Abdelbagi Akol, and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Jospeh Bangasi Bakosoro, on the spotlight for meddling in its internal affairs.
SSNMC Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mogga Charles told journalists in a press conference that the duo inflicts serious injustice and blatant violation of 2018 peace agreement, against the party.
“The acute injustice and blatant violation of the spirit and provisions of the R-ARCSS 2018 are being perpetuated by H.E. Vice President Hussien Abdelbagi Akol,” Charles said.
“We are being threatened, blackmailed, targeted, and unilaterally removed from our party dockets, which include our party chairperson, the secretary, and the commissioner of Kapoeta South,” he added.
He noted that the bad deed was executed by VP Abdelbagi with facilitation from the minister of presidential affairs, Jospeh Bangasi Bakosoro.
“These removals are executed without any notice and with due regard to SSOA internal regulation, which protects positions apportioned to individual parties in entirely independent decisions,” he claimed.
Mr. Charles recalled that when Bakosoro rejoined the Ruling SPLM party on July 15, 2021, the SSNMC requested from Abdelbagi to return the ministry of public service to the party’s grip.
“He [Abdelbagi] promised us that he would speak to the leadership of the country to consider our call,” he noted.
However, Charles cited that the duo plotted and created another SSNMC faction led by Mr. Clement Mbogoniwia, who is highly protected by Abdelbagi and a kinsman of Bakosoro.
According to the SSNMC party, the intention was to prevent the SSNMC from getting its 17 positions granted by the peace deal through deception, meddling in internal affairs, and creating confusion among members.
“It is now three years; we are unable to regain these positions. We have tried to bring this to the attention of the leadership of the nation, but our efforts to meet the president have been frustrated and blocked,” he continued.
According to Charles, all SSOA party leaders who gave it a try were in vain. He further appealed to President Slava Kiir to call his deputy to order.
“We request H.E., the president of the Republic, to reign over the VP H.E. Hussien Abdelbagi Akol to avoid using a partner in peace to achieve and fulfill his ill bilateral ambitions,” he emphasized.
SSNMC recommitted to the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, adding that the president should use his mercy and prerogatives to ensure justice and resolve the matter amicably.
“We resolve to withdraw our vote of confidence over VP H.E. Hussien Abdelbagi Akol as SSOA constituency member,” Charles declared.
“Our chairperson has been in constant meetings, not a formal one, because we follow normal procedure by writing to SSOA, and our chair to SSOA will be the one writing to the National Transitional Committee (NTC).”
The SSNMC cautioned VP Abdelbagi to mind his business and avoid meddling in the outfit’s internal affairs.
“Why did it take us so long because we followed the due diligence based on the advice of the charter, as our SSOA charter said?”
In a rebuttal, the press secretary in the office of VP Abdelbagi, Gabriel Kiir Amoi, disputed the allegation, citing that it’s a ‘concocted’ and ‘fabricated’ accusation.
“I just want to respond to the claims that these claims are baseless,” Amoi told the No. 1 Citizen Newspaper.
He added that SSOA got the leadership council, which decides on matters to do with the SSOA umbrella, but not an individual’s decision to make without consent from the parties’ leaders.
“What did the leadership of the SSOA alliance say about this? Because it beats logic to claim that all this was done by one man called the Vice President [Abdelbagi], and the leadership council did not say anything about it,” he wondered.
He questioned the legal procedure followed by the SSNMC party while seeking a solution.
“Have they communicated this problem officially? Have they addressed it to the chair of the SSOA alliance and to the VP in his capacity? Let them show proof of what they are saying; they shouldn’t just issue a blank statement,” Amoi retracted.
However, the presidential affairs minister, Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro, has yet to comment on the matter.
SSOA is a coalition comprising about eight parties that are signatories to the current South Sudan peace agreement.