The coalition of opposition parties, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), is calling for the withdrawal of the ministerial portfolio held by the former leader of the South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro.
Mid-last month, Bakasoro abandoned his party and rejoined the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) party under President Salva Kiir Mayardit. Other members of the SSNMC welcomed the move but stressed that it was an individual decision and not that of the party.
Currently, Bakasoro serves as the national minister of public service in the revitalized government of national unity, a position that belongs to his former party, the SSNMC in the SSOA coalition.
In a statement to Radio Tamazuj, Josephine Joseph Lago, Minister of Agriculture and head of the SSOA coalition, said the ministerial portfolio is allotted for SSOA according to the peace agreement.
"Bakasoro has joined the SPLM party led by Salva Kiir, and we wish him the best, but he cannot go with the ministerial portfolio because according to the agreement, the position belongs to SSOA," she said.
Josephine adds, "This would be a violation of the agreement, and we do not want that to happen. So we asked the competent authorities to withdraw the position from him, and the position will go to the members of the South Sudan National Movement for Change who are still members of the coalition."
She further pointed out that the coalition has selected the coalition's secretary-general Lt. Gen. Bapiny Monytuil for the position of deputy speaker in the Council of States.