Former South Sudanese Foreign Affairs Minister Barnaba Marial says he cannot complain against President Salva Kiir for removing him from his position.
“I am not bitter. Why I should be angry?” said Barnaba Marial Benjamin in reaction to a question about he felt after being removed from his lucrative and influential ministerial position.
Barnaba said he would not challenge the decision of the president because it was a constitutional prerogative of the president to appoint and relieve ministers from their duties at his discretion.
However, Barnaba says he did not author the controversial document that was allegedly related to his removal, in which a citizen of Abyei was termed a non-South Sudanese.
The official admitted he did not read the content of the document before signing it because it was given to him as he was preparing to leave the country to Geneva, Switzerland, where a response of the government to a UN report covering a host of human right issues was expected on 9 March.
“The document was prepared when I was out of the country for a mission and was given to me at the time the delegation was about to leave. I really did not get time to go through it,” explained Barnaba when asked on 28 March whether he personally read the content of the official response of the government, specifically the part which described Luka Biong Deng as being a Sudanese citizen.
Luka is a former cabinet minister who hails from the disputed region of Abyei. The country’s 2011 constitution says Abyei is a part of South Sudan.
Barnaba said he was ready to serve the country whenever the leadership feels it is wise and appropriate time for him to serve in any capacity.