The main opposition SPLM-IO said on Sunday there was no final agreement yet on the selection of ministries in the coalition government.
“There is no any final agreement on the issue of ministries. We expect some clarity on the matter during a meeting on Monday,” SPLM-IO deputy spokesman Manawa Peter told Radio Tamazuj.
He further said progress was achieved in talks, but no final agreement between both sides. “The information circulating on social media that there is an agreement on a list of ministries is not accurate. It will be announced officially when we agree on something,” the opposition official said.
President Salva Kiir’s side, locked in a standoff with the opposition in power-sharing talks earlier this week, laid claim to all key ministries in the unity government.
The previous government had allocated to itself the powerful ministries of defense, interior, petroleum and finance, a crucial portfolio to the resuscitation of South Sudan's devastated economy.
SPLM-IO officials denounced the move, saying important ministries must be split up between all parties to the peace agreement.
Under the 2018 peace deal, the coalition government will have 35 ministries split up between the group of Salva Kiir, the SPLM-IO of Riek Machar, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), the SPLM-FDs, and other political parties.
Kiir's side will retain 20 ministries, while Machar's group will have nine ministries. The SSOA will take three ministries, the SPLM-FDs will be given two ministries and other political parties will get one ministry.
The peace deal explains that each party to the peace agreement will nominate a minister on a rotational basis if the parties fail to agree on the allocation of ministerial portfolios. It means the previous government chooses the first ministry that it wants, followed by the SPLM-IO which chooses next, then the opposition alliance, and so on.