South Sudan’s Minister of Information, Michael Makuei Lueth, has accused First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar of making an “unprocedural” request to meet President Salva Kiir to discuss escalating violence in parts of the country.
In a letter dated February 27, 2025, Machar called for urgent dialogue with Kiir to address worsening security conditions, particularly in Upper Nile and Western Equatoria states. However, Makuei criticized the manner in which the request was made, alleging it was leaked to social media before reaching the president.
Speaking at a press conference in Juba on Friday, Makuei, a member of Kiir’s SPLM party, expressed frustration over the letter’s premature publication. “The letter was written on February 27 and delivered to the president’s office at 4:30 p.m., when His Excellency had already left for the day. It was to be brought to his attention the following morning,” he said.
Makuei, who also serves as the government spokesperson, questioned the decision to publicize the request, calling it an “abnormality” that violated established protocols. “Under normal circumstances, when you request a meeting, you don’t publish your request. This is not the first time such requests have been made,” he added.
The minister dismissed claims of a political deadlock, as suggested in Machar’s letter. “It is after a disagreement that you can talk of a deadlock, and only then can you seek solutions from mediators. The letter was addressed to the president, not mediators, yet it seeks their intervention,” Makuei said.
He argued that the issues raised by First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar did not warrant external mediation, as the parties had not yet exhausted dialogue. “Mediators only come in after a deadlock is reached. These parties have not sat down to reach such a point,” he added.
Unrest in Western Equatoria
Makuei also addressed recent unrest in Western Equatoria following the removal of former governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba. He accused Futuyo of defying presidential directives, which led to his dismissal. “The president decided to remove him because he had been intransigent. He did not listen to orders or directives and acted at will,” Makuei said.
He claimed that the people of Western Equatoria had grown dissatisfied with Futuyo’s leadership and that Kiir had repeatedly urged Machar to replace him. “The president requested the First Vice President multiple times to remove this man and bring in a replacement, but this was not done,” he said.
Makuei emphasized that Kiir, as head of state, has the authority to demand the removal of underperforming officials, regardless of their political affiliation. “If the president is dissatisfied with the performance of any official, he has the right to ask their party to remove them. No one has the right to refuse,” he stated.
He confirmed that Machar’s SPLM-IO party had nominated a replacement for Futuyo, pending the president’s approval.
Tensions in Upper Nile
Regarding the situation in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, Makuei said government forces deployed to the area had come under attack from the White Army, a group he described as “hostile.” He explained that the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) had been stationed in Nasir for an extended period and were being replaced when the attack occurred.
“There had been skirmishes for some time, so the government decided to send a force to replace the existing troops. However, a negative campaign spread, claiming the new forces were sent to disarm civilians,” he said.
Makuei denied these allegations, stating that even the SPLM-IO had requested the transfer of forces. “When the transfer was being done, the forces came under attack from the White Army, which cannot be termed a friendly force,” he said.
He added that the area is largely under the control of the SPLM-IO, with Nasir town being the exception. “The whole area is under the SPLM-IO, so it is not strange. As a government, we act like fire extinguishers, always responding to crises,” he said.
Call for peace
Makuei reiterated the government’s commitment to peace and the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement. “We have been tolerant and will continue to tolerate because what we need is peace for our people. The SPLM-IO will continue to ensure the agreement is implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.
He urged all parties to respect the agreement’s provisions and work together to maintain stability. “What is important is that the parties to the agreement respect each other and abide by the rules and regulations,” he concluded.
President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar are key partners in a fragile peace agreement signed in 2018, which is facing significant challenges, particularly in unifying armed groups to form a national army.