A leading member of the African Congress Party (ANC), a constituent member of the Other Political Parties (OPP), is urging President Salva Kiir to reinstate sacked Warrap State minister of finance Manut Chol.
On 19 July, President Kiir fired ANC’s Warrap State minister of finance and investment Manut Chol and replaced him with Cueibet Dut, a member of the Umbrella Parties, which is also a constituent member of the OPP.
The Other Political Parties (OPP) is a signatory to the 2018 revitalised peace agreement.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Albino Akol Atak, Secretary-General of the ANC, said: “When the OPP components were dividing up the ministerial portfolios, the position of the Warrap state minister of finance was given to ANC. So it surprised us when the minister was sacked without our knowledge as a party.”
“We found out later that Peter Mayen Majongdit of the Umbrella Party recommended to the president to remove the state minister of finance. We condemn the move taken by Mayen, so we appeal to the president to reinstate the sacked minister,” he added.
The opposition politician accused the humanitarian affairs minister and leader of the Umbrella Parties, Peter Mayen Majongdit, of trying to violate the 2018 peace agreement.
“If you remove someone and replace him with our person, it is a clear violation of the peace agreement because the agreement talks of inclusivity,” Akol said. “So Mayen has violated the peace agreement and our internal agreement as OPP components.”
Akol, also the spokesperson of the OPP grouping, said: “Peter Mayen is the one who caused the problem with his recommendation to the president because, without a recommendation, the president cannot remove an official. So I urge the appointing authority to wait for a consensus from the OPP groups before making any final decision.”
Before the formation of the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity in February 2022, the OPP split into two groups, one led by Kornelio Kon of the National Alliance and a group led by Mayen Majongdit of the Umbrella Parties.