The capital of South Sudan has witnessed rising tensions after reports of a deepening rift between the president and the governors of the three Equatoria states.
Officials yesterday denied that the Central Equatoria governor had come under threat and fled the city in fear for his life, while security forces set up new checkpoints throughout Juba.
Sources in Juba explained that the tensions arose from political differences between the governors, who have called for adoption of a federal system of governance, and President Salva Kiir, who has rejected the call.
Last week the president held a meeting with the current head of military intelligence and the former governor of Northern Bahr al Ghazal, who is now the chief of the army. The president reportedly considered dismissing the three Equatoria governors.
But the Governor of Western Equatoria state, Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro who arrived in Juba yesterday morning, said that he had come to meet with the president and denied that he was under threat.
“I’m not in a danger and I have not been threatened, if am under threat, let that person come and kill me or arrest me rather that tarnish the name of the president and the whole country that there is danger,” Bakosoro said.
However, a source close to one of the Equatoria governors confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that they were deeply concerned about what they suspected was a plot against the Equatoria governors.
National Courier reported that there was a shootout over the weekend near the Central Equatoria governor’s residence in Juba, saying that security officials had ‘castigated’ state authorities for describing the incident as an ‘assassination attempt’ when in fact it was just a clash between a criminal gang and a military patrol.
Governor Bakosoro stressed that they wanted to meet the president and rejected rumors of a rift. “I have come here because we wanted to meet the president and the leadership in the country,” he said. His meeting with the president has not yet taken place, however.
Bakosoro described the reports of the assassination attempt as ”a very big propaganda” by those aiming to topple the government “telling big lies that the three governors of Equatoria are going to be arrested, we are in danger and we are going to die very soon.”
He also called for peace in the country: “We have killed each other up to this moment – let us stop plotting killing each other, let us try to discuss our issues and have amicable solution. As South Sudanese we need to love our country by telling positively about it and if there are mistakes, let us articulate in a manner that will not destroy the country.”
Soba Samuel, Minister of Information for the Central Equatoria State Government, also denied reports of differences between Kiir and the governor, saying the reports were created by those who do not want stability in Juba. He said the governor was working normally, and called the security situation in Juba as stable.
But multiple government sources confirmed that Governor Konga has left the city of Juba, with conflicting reports about where he had gone. Konga hails from Terekeka County just to the north of Juba, the homeland of the Mundari.
The state information minister declined to say where Konga had gone, disclosing only that he was on an ‘official mission’. This information conflicted with remarks by the Deputy Governor, who was quoted by Gurtong as saying the governor traveled for a family visit.
Yesterday also fears of clashes spread in Yei, a town south of Juba. The mayor of the town, Cecilia Oba Tio, referred to ‘commotion’ in the town after rumours of insecurity, while denying any conflict.