The youth wing of South Sudan’s ruling party in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state remains split over who is the rightful leader of the group amid a continuing power struggle between supporters of two former governors.
Garang Valentino Wol Kon Amoi, an ally of former caretaker governor Kuel Aguer Kuel, continues to claim to be the state party’s Youth League Chairman despite his suspension from a position in the state education ministry in May.
Garang’s position as youth chairman is contested by Anei Anei Juach, who is a follower of Kuel’s predecessor in the governor’s office Paul Malong. Malong maintains his position as state SPLM party chairman despite having left the governorship last year to take a military post in Juba.
Malong and Kuel engaged in a power struggle earlier this year which culminated in Kuel’s removal from the governorship by South Sudan President Salva Kiir.
Gabriel Bol Dut, a Kuel ally who is the head of the SPLM youth office for Aweil town, said his side still does not recognize Garang’s removal nor Anei’s appointment to the youth leadership position.
“We know only one legitimate leader and that is comrade Garang Valentino Wol Kon Amoi, who is currently in Juba,” he said.
Bol accused members of Malong’s group of breaking the constitution by trying to remove Garang from his position without holding a youth league convention.
“This group is working outside the constitution of the SPLM,” he charged. “This means they have broken away from the SPLM under President Salva Kiir Mayardiit, which is the only SPLM we know in the country.”
In a statement, Anei said he became youth league chairman in a process which accorded to the law and the party constitution, but did not elaborate further.
Anei contested position as youth league chairperson is his first position in the state party secretariat since being appointed by Malong to the state liberation council. Before that, Anei had worked in 2010 as a member of the state party’s electoral college during its 2010 candidate selection process.