The Greater Aweil Students’ Association at the University of Bahr al-Ghazal has been hit by membership withdrawal over an election dispute.
The students from Aweil Centre and West said the elections were not conducted in accordance with their constitution.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, the chairperson of the disenchanted students said they had ceased any association with the association which draws its membership from all the Aweil counties.
John Majok Kiir from Aweil Centre said he and his entire group had withdrawn due to a lack of inclusivity in the leadership and the discrimination in the association.
I withdraw my county from the Aweil Students’ Association based on some issues, top of which is the lack of equity in the leadership. Second is the discrimination and third is undermining of the minority groups, said Kiir.
He accused the new association chairperson, Ariath Garang, of breaching the constitution by appointing some of the students from Aweil Centre into the leadership without consulting him, yet he is their chairperson.
Tong Kiir Tong from Aweil West said that despite the recent election of a chairperson, some challenges were yet to be addressed.
One of the challenge was the discrimination during the election, which led to a proposal, which was still being discussed by the general assembly of the Aweil West students, he said.
Efforts to reach the new chairman of the Greater Aweil Students Association for a comment were unsuccessful.