By Manas James Okony
The commissioner of Nyirol County in Jonglei State, James Bol Makuey, has been ousted from his position and expelled from the headquarters in Lankient town.
This political upheaval comes as tensions between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) and the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) intensify amid a fraught political environment in South Sudan.
The country’s political landscape has been turbulent since its independence in 2011, largely due to ongoing conflicts and power struggles between various factions.
The 2018 Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) aimed to establish a power-sharing arrangement among the SPLM, led by President Salva Kiir, the SPLM-IO, led by First Vice President Riek Machar, and other political groups.
This agreement is critical towards restoring peace in a country that has experienced civil war and widespread violence.
As part of the power-sharing agreement, Nyirol County—an area predominantly supporting the SPLM-IO—was assigned to Kiir’s SPLM.
The situation in parts of the country remains precarious. There is a fragile peace established by the 2018 agreement, but this peace is increasingly under threat.
In recent weeks, tensions have been palpable, with a worrying calm overshadowing violent clashes occurring between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the White Army, a militia group in the Upper Nile region.
The White Army has been accused by the government of having ties to Machar’s SPLM-IO, further complicating the security situation.
Recent conflicts, particularly in Upper Nile State and towns like Nasir, have resulted in substantial loss of life, including the deaths of a senior SSPDF commander and a staff member of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). These sporadic bouts of violence serve as a reminder of the underlying instability that pervades the nation.
According to Both Jal, the county information director, the tension came to a head during a meeting at the commissioner’s residence.
Mr. Both reported that the commissioner received pressure to vacate his position amid allegations that the 2018 agreement had collapsed.
“There was a meeting at the residence of the commissioner this morning. His family came from the village, and it was resolved that the commissioner vacate his duties and return to where he was appointed (Juba) because the 2018 deal has collapsed,” he stated.
Despite initial resistance, Bol was eventually coerced into leaving by SPLM-IO forces and local youth.
“Calm has been restored in Lankien town following the commissioner’s departure,” Both Jal noted. “The commissioner was escorted to Pulturuk by the police and his family. While there, he will find a way to return to Juba. Following his exit, the market reopened because fears of imminent clashes were no more.”
Attempts to reach Commissioner Bol for comment were unsuccessful.
However, he previously expressed confusion regarding his ousting, stating, “On Thursday morning, some SPLM-IO forces came to my residence and informed me that the agreement had collapsed. I requested clarification, but none was provided, so the opposition forces eventually left.”
He remains firm in his identity and commitment to the community, asserting, “I am a son of this area. My grandfather was a prominent chief known throughout the entire Lou community, so I cannot yield to any pressure to abandon the county.”
The expulsion of Bol indicates the fragile state of governance in South Sudan, where political allegiance remains volatile, and the specter of renewed conflict looms large.