Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong Lojore sacked his press secretary in a gubernatorial decree on Thursday.
The decree gave no reason for the dismissal.
“This order shall be cited as a Gubernatorial Order number 6/2023 for the relieve of Press Secretary in the Office of the Governor in Eastern Equatoria State 2023 AD and shall come into force on the date of its signature by the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State,” according to the order obtained by Radio Tamazuj.
“In exercise of the powers conferred upon me under Republican Decree no 51/2020 and in accordance with Schedule E(4) of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011 as amended and Schedule B(17) of the Transitional Constitution of Eastern Equatoria state 2011, I, Louis Lobong Lojore, Governor of Eastern Equatoria State do hereby issue this Gubernatorial Executive Order for the relieve of Mr Aliandro Lotok as the Press Secretary in the Office of the Governor, Eastern Equatoria state, with effect from 5 April 2023,” the order read in part.
Aliandro Lotok, who is also a journalist at South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), was appointed by the governor in 2020.
Meanwhile, Patrick Oting Cyprian, the state’s information minister, said: It’s not a secret, Aliandro was relieved like any other person, so I would not comment much on it because that is a normal administrative procedure in the office of the state governor.”
Aliandro Lotok could not be reached for comment.