Ateny Wek expects govt to be formed Thursday

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir’s spokesman, Ateny Wek Ateny, says that he expects the Transitional Government of National to be formed tomorrow, Thursday.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir’s spokesman, Ateny Wek Ateny, says that he expects the Transitional Government of National to be formed tomorrow, Thursday.

The UN Secretary-General had called for the immediate formation of the transitional government upon arrival of Riek Machar, who was sworn in as first vice president yesterday.

But Machar is reportedly still in consultations over which members of the SPLM-IO he will nominate for ministerial positions.

Ateny Wek, Press Secretary in the Office of the President, told Radio Tamazuj today, “The formation will take place on Thursday, tomorrow, because the First Vice President of the Republic Dr. Machar is in consultations about the leadership of the ten ministries that should be nominated from the SPLM-in-Opposition.”

Asked whether SPLM-FD and the government had prepared their nominations for the ministerial appointments, Ateny said, “The list of the government is ready, and the one of all the other parties is ready, and there just remains the list of the SPLM-IO.”

“If the formation of the government happens tomorrow, then after tomorrow will be the procedure of swearing in. Then the President of the Republic and the whole unity government will have its first sitting of the Council of Ministers on Friday, the 29th of this month,” added Ateny.

Similarly, SPLM-IO spokesman William Ezekiel told Eye Radio that the new government will be formed “hopefully tomorrow.”

The peace deal allocates 16 ministries to current government, 10 to the SPLM in Opposition, two to the Former Detainees, and two to the other political parties.