South Sudan's Presidential Adviser for National Security Affairs Tut Gatluak Manime has announced that President Salva Kiir is seeking to name some deputy governors this evening.
In an impromptu press conference in Juba this afternoon, Tut told the press that President Kiir would appoint some deputy governors this evening and that the state governments will be formed by the first week of January 2021.
“Today the President of the Republic, Salva Kiir Mayardit, would issue a directive for the appointment of deputy governors for the states except for Upper Nile state because it's awaiting conduct of a general conference involving sons of the state,” Tut Gatluak said. “After which the government of the state shall be formed. In the allocation of positions in the states, the positions of governor in Upper Nile goes to SPLM- IO, and deputy for the TGoNU. But the President requested people of Upper Nile state to dialogue amongst themselves in a conference before their state government is formed.”
“I want to assure all members of the press that consultations between political parties have concluded except on one issue which we have not agreed on but consultations are continuing. Tomorrow we are going to meet with the Other Political Parties. There is a disagreement between some of the other opposition parties led by our brother Peter Mayen Majongdit on allocations of positions of three deputy governors.”
According to the presidential adviser, “Today the President directed all state governors to engage in consultations to form state governments including appointment of advisors, state legislators and county officials and present their recommendations to the President within six days for complete formation of state governments.”
He added that the national parliament shall then be constituted as per the allocations in the peace agreement, “The President directed the full implementation of all requirements of the revitalized agreement with the coming New Year.”
“By the first week of January, we would have completed the formation of the transitional government from national to state levels,” Tuk Gatluak said.
“We want to assure citizens of South Sudan that we are ushering into a new year with peace and stability with no political differences. We urge Thomas Cirillo and his brothers who have not yet joined the peace to sign and join the peace agreement in the next session of talks in Rome.”
Mr Tut, who is also the chairman of National Pre-Transitional Committee, said his committee has been engaging all parties in consultations for the formation of state governments and state parliaments then the formation of the national parliament and council of states.
“As you have been following, we in the national committee for implementation of the peace agreement in the Republic of South Sudan have overcome all challenges and have completed the formation of states, the appointment of state governors, except for Upper Nile state, and consultations are still ongoing between all parties of the agreement for the formation of state governments as per the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan,” Tut Gatluak reassured.
Kiir’s adviser said they hope to graduate the joint forces in the training camps by the third week of January. “The President has come out with a clear timetable. Then the second badge of joint forces will go for training based on arrangements made by officials in the ministry of defense and Joint Defense Board,” he concluded.