Thiik Thiik Mayardit, Deputy Mayor of Juba City Council responsible for service delivery, is demanding the removal of Latio Ramba, Commissioner-General of the Central Equatoria State Insurance Regulatory Authority. Mayardit accuses Ramba of accepting bribes from UAP Insurance company.

Last December, Deputy Mayor Thiik Thiik Mayardit ordered the closure of UAP Insurance company after it failed to reinstate 10 terminated staff who went on strike due to poor working conditions. Mayor Flora Gabriel Modi, however, revoked the order on the same day and instructed the company to resume operations as usual.

Speaking to reporters in Juba on Monday, Thiik Thiik criticized Ramba for allegedly accepting bribes and subsequently pressuring Mayor Flora to rescind the closure order. He claimed that Ramba, who serves as the deputy chairperson of a committee appointed by Governor Adil to address the issue, remained inactive instead of resolving the matter to ensure the rights of the laid-off South Sudanese workers.

Thiik revealed that after Mayor Flora directed the reopening of UAP, Governor Adil established a committee led by the State Minister of Labour, Mulla Modi, with Ramba as the deputy. However, Ramba’s involvement allegedly compromised the process when he accepted bribes from the company, causing the issue to stagnate.

Thiik further accused Ramba, who also acts as the spokesperson for the SPLM party in the state, of favouring the concerns of South Africans and Kenyans over those of South Sudanese citizens, resulting in the reopening of the company after its closure.

He is now urging Governor Adil to dismiss the Commissioner-General of the State Insurance Regulatory Authority for failing the people of South Sudan. Thiik stated, “I appeal to the Central Equatoria government under His Excellency Emmanuel Adil Anthony to remove Latio Ramba from his position at the Insurance Regulatory Authority and appoint someone who will prioritize the interests of the people of Central Equatoria, rather than someone susceptible to bribery.”

He claimed to possess evidence of Latio Ramba being summoned to Nairobi for bribery. “Last month, he was in Nairobi to receive money, which was given to him. I was following him, and when I questioned him, he claimed he was invited by the African Insurance Regulatory Authority for his membership,” he asserted.

The deputy mayor, however, expressed doubts about Ramba’s suitability to represent the people of South Sudan, let alone at the African Insurance Regulatory Authority. Thiik argued that Ramba’s alleged actions raised concerns about his credibility.

Thiik, asserting that the UAP company operates in South Africa and Kenya, urged the Kenyan and South African ambassadors to visit his office for a collaborative resolution. “I’m appealing to the ambassadors of South Africa and Kenya. I urge them to come to my office, listen to my concerns, and understand the perspectives of all involved parties. I seek an amicable resolution because I don’t have any personal agenda,” explained Thiik.

Radio Tamazuj could not immediately reach Latio Ramba for comment.