The Vice President of South Sudan James Wani Igga says President Salva Kiir has chosen the right direction to bring an end to conflict by signing the IGAD-Plus compromise agreement.
“So I agreed with him, but of course with reservations. There are about 16 of them, so I am one of the people very reserved because IGAD has decided to impose Riek Machar on my head,” he said.
Speaking at a briefing Wednesday to Equatorians on the recently signed peace agreement at Nyakuron Cultural Centre, Igga said, “I can swear that I have never and never been consulted by IGAD whether I can accept Riek to be put on my head or not. That thing didn’t happen.”
He pointed out that a regional leader informed him that representatives from the Equatoria region went to Addis Ababa and requested to be offered two positions of second vice president and speaker of the national legislative assembly in a transitional government.
“That’s what happened according to that president, he said he has the document, and he can produce it at any time. So it is not me, they have never consulted me. History records must be put right,” he explained.
“That’s why I am saying I am very reserved,” he added.
Igga further said the reservations listed by his government are very important for the implementation of the peace agreement. He noted they accepted to sign the peace accord only for the sake of stability and prosperity for the people of South Sudan.
Igga, who is also the deputy head of the SPLM party, described some stipulations in the IGAD-Plus compromise peace agreement as “illogic”.
“For example, the government is supposed to go and disarm SPLA-North in Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile States even the rebels in Darfur. How would that be possible?” he asked.
However, The Equatorian leader said 90% of the peace agreement signed by Kiir is good especially on institutional reforms. He said the people of South Sudan badly need reform at the national and state levels.
“We need our institutions to be reformed, standardized and modernised, so that we can deliver because delivery of any service depends on how it is set up,” he said.
The Vice President directed all government institutions to disseminate the recently signed peace agreement to citizens across South Sudan.