Major General Akot Deng Akot, police commissioner of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, has once again rejected an order from the general police headquarters in Juba transferring him out of the state, allegedly because he has political ambitions in the state. 

“The general headquarters of police in Juba had sent Major General David Majok to the state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal as part of the administrative transfer and routine changes and replacement which usually takes place at least after every two to three years but he was denied the opportunity of taking over from the incumbent commissioner,” a police official in Juba said on Monday.

General Majok was also told by the Acting Caretaker Governor Salva Chol Ayat to return to the headquarters, according to the source. The caretaker governor reportedly claimed that he wanted to be informed about the reasons for Akot's transfer and replacement without the consent of the state authorities.

Another police officer said, “I think the rejection of handing over the office was politically motived because it is not our policy to keep a police commissioner to remain in one place or to be someone from the area. That was Major General Akot Deng Akot was transferred to Western Bahr el Ghazal before and Major General Peter Mading Duor was assigned to Northern Bahr el Ghazal instead of Warrap.” 

In South Sudan, assignments in the national police force are like assignments in the army. Officers do not decide where they should be deployed. Meanwhile, a political source confirmed Akot's recent rejection of his transfer saying it was related to his political ambitions.

The source, a state minister, said that Akot was hoping to be appointed the governor of the area in the upcoming changes expected to be made by the president.

“Yes it is true. Akot Deng Akot has rejected transfer to the general headquarters of the police. He was taken to Juba to the operation department but he had refused. He told the officer who came to replace him that he would not hand over the office to him because he was informed by the leadership and secondly he said he has been promised to become the governor of the state in the coming changes. So he decided to remain in the state until his time of appointment comes,” the politician said on Monday.