A prominent opposition leader from Boma State has criticized the recent decree issued by President Salva Kiir removing Gen. David Yau Yau from his position as the deputy minister of defense and reappointing him as deputy minister of labour.

Gen. Khalid Botrous, a senior member of the Nation Salvation Front (NAS) and former ally of David Yau Yau, accused President Salva Kiir of planning to exclude Yau Yau from the top leadership because of lack of trust.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Khalid pointed out that Yau Yau’s appointment as deputy minister of labour is a plan designed to exclude him from the national army.

 “Yau Yau’s presence in the labour ministry and he doesn’t not have any knowledge about labour is a way of exclusion. They do not trust him anymore in Bilpham, so this is a clear exclusion. He is even been put in the rebel’s position,” said Khalid.

For his part, Ateny Wek Ateny, South Sudan’s presidential spokesperson, said the appointment of Yau Yau as the deputy minister of labour came as a result of consultations between President Kiir and First Vice President Taban Deng.

He claimed that President Kiir’s decree is in line with the August peace deal.” So what we have done is just a routine reshuffle according to the peace agreement,” said Ateny.

Ateny further said the government is planning to integrate SPLA-IO forces within the national army this year. “On the 17^th of May this year, we will witness the integration of the SPLA-IO into the SPLA army and after that date we will not recognize any SPLA-IO,” he said.

Photo: Yau Yau shakes hands with President Kiir/Radio Tamazuj