By Manas James Okony
Jonglei State governor, Mahjoub Biel Turuk has stired strif by annulling an administrative order issued by his deputy to establish a committee to address ongoing inter-clan conflict in Nyirol County.
The dissolution comes amid rising tensions and allegations of insubordination.
Last week, three days of violent clashes erupted between the Cie-Puol and Cie-Dumin communities in the county headquarters, Langkien town, resulting in at least seven fatalities and 24 injuries.
On Friday, Deputy Governor Atong Kuol Manyang Juuk issued an order establishing a State High-Level Committee tasked with intervening in the conflict.
In her order, she stated that she was acting on behalf of the governor and cited Article 103 (a)(d) of the 2011 Jonglei State Transitional Constitution and Presidential Decree No. 106A (2)(A) to justify her authority.
The 13-member committee was to be chaired by the local government minister, Simon Hoth Duol, with William Kuol Chuol, the minister of gender and social welfare, as his deputy.
The committee included national and state lawmakers as well as local community leaders.
Atong subsequently requested the UNMISS Bor field office to facilitate the airlift of the peace committee to Langkien.
However, on November 2, Governor Biel reversed his deputy’s order and established a separate probe body known as the High-Level Fact-Finding Committee.
“In her Order, there is a contradiction because she called State High-Level Committee while she added National MPs. The question that begs itself is, where, in the system of governance should the state MPs lead the national MPs?” Majoub Biel asked.
“The administrative order was issued without prior consultation with the state leadership. In the person of the governor who is in the country.”
Governor Mahjoub, who hails from Langkien and leads the state government under Dr. Lam Akol’s National Democratic Movement (NDM), formed a 17-member committee led by National MP Gordon Deng Lam, with Gabriel Gai Riam serving as secretary.
The committee comprises national and state MPs as well as prominent elders, military officials, youth leaders, and church representatives.
Both the governor and his deputy were unavailable for immediate comment.
However, Biel Jiek Lual, press secretary in Governor Mahjoub’s office, told No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper that there was no division within the state leadership, attributing the situation to miscommunication.
He confirmed the governor’s cancellation of the deputy’s committee and the formation of a new one, which arrived in Langkien to address the conflict.
“What transpired was merely a misunderstanding between the two leaders. Their relationship remains intact,” he stated.
“It is true that the governor cancelled the order issued by his deputy due to a lack of consultation. As of now, the 17 committee members have arrived in Langkien, and the conflict is under investigation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bol Deng Bol, a political observer, expressed concern over the recent political developments, calling them a troubling trend.
He urged the state leadership to foster collegial cooperation for the sake of peace in the troubled Jonglei region.
“We seem to be reverting to a scenario where the governor and deputy publicly display divisions in their roles. It is unfortunate that they are trying to assert their authority over a committee meant to bring peace to Nyirol.
Ultimately, the people of Nyirol are the ones suffering amidst this discord,” he remarked.
“As a civil society, we appeal for a return to the spirit of collegial cooperation as outlined in the agreement,” he added.