Deng Deng Akuei, governor of the proposed Aweil East state, denied on Wednesday reports linking him to a dispute between two rival camps competing for the Chamber of Commerce office.
Governor Deng, presently visiting Juba, said his administration did not play any partisan role in the dispute, explaining his government only advocated for peaceful settlement of differences between the two rival camps.
“Our role as the government was to ensure that the differences are resolved amicably,” Deng said. “After all they are our people and from the same area. There is no reason to favour one group over the other.”
He denied that he was summoned by the authorities to report himself to Juba over the matter. He said he was visiting the capital to brief the country’s leadership of on the general situation in Aweil East.
Deng was reacting to reports speculated by his political opponents that president Kiir acting on the advice of Paul Malong Awan, chief of general of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, summoned him.
Opponents also claimed that he refused to write a letter to the cabinet affairs minister urging the ministry of finance to deduct from the budget of the state a payment to constitutional post-holders who come from the area.
Such civil servants have been demanding payment of salaries.