Clement Wani Konga, the former governor of Central Equatoria State, has criticized the SPLM-IO Deputy Chairman Alfred Lado Gore for encouraging violence as a way to secure power for himself.
Gore is a former rival of Konga in the 2010 elections for the position of governor, which Konga won. He defected from the government to the rebel group led by Riek Machar after the outbreak of civil war in December 2013 and was made Machar’s deputy.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj today, Konga said, “Talk to Alfred Lado Gore and you tell him that he should break away from Riek Machar… and to contact Uganda to mediate between him and the government.”
He continued criticizing Gore for encouraging people to take up arms in Central Equatoria. “He doesn’t have any objective. All he wants, he wants power. And that’s all,” said Konga. “The best way is let him keep quiet. Let him leave the people in peace.”
This is not the first time that Konga has accused Gore of causing insecurity in Central Equatoria. Last year in July he said a “few elements that support Gen. Alfred Lado Gore” were causing insecurity on the Yei-Juba and Rokon-Juba roads.
Konga was ousted from his position as governor of Central Equatoria last year by presidential decree. The president has sought to divide Central Equatoria into three states. The former governor has previously suggested that Kiir’s choices of names for the new states is divisive.
File photo: Alfred Lado Gore (center) with Riek Machar’s wife and his then military spokesman Lul Ruai (left) in Addis Ababa