Akec Tong Aleu, governor of the newly established Tonj State, which was carved out of Warrap State after President Salva Kiir issued orders dividing up the country into 28 states, has denied reports charging him with having employed relatives at the expense of other qualified people in the state.

Akec described as “false” reports of this nature and stressed that he was determined to provide equal opportunities to all the citizens of Tonj State without discrimination and intimidation as a tool to securing appointment.

He explained, “Our people have learnt a very bad culture of insults, intimidations and threats as a tool to drawing attention to issues. They have also learnt a dangerous culture of falsifying things. This culture must not be encouraged and the media should play a role in creating awareness of the danger of this culture.”

“Now I want to be clear: I did not employ any relative. The people being talked about as relatives are people from Tonj and they were recommended for employment by their own communities on their own merits and capabilities. They were not employed because they are related to me or any official in my administration. Those allegations are false,” explained Akec.

Akec was reacting on Wednesday to an open letter to President Salva Kiir authored by youths and politicians from the area accusing him of having employed relatives in key positions in his administration without merits allegedly to cover him from being exposed for corruption and other malpractices at the service delivery.

The letter alleged that speaker of the state parliament Mawien Yuot, Wau Coordinator Deng Awar Mayom, Executive Director in the office of Governor Bol Lual Akol, Tonj Town Mayor Anei Madoor Maluac, Administration and Finance Officer Kuol Kuol Adim, and Press Secretary Abun Dut, are some of the relatives he has employed.

Other officials alleged to have been employed because of relations with the governor include Madhol Chol Thuc, Secretary General of the State; Nyanjang Malek, Administration and Finance in the Juba Coordination Office; Nyariak Akulong Thuc, Administration and Finance in council of ministers in Tonj state; Nyanjang Malek and Makuei Aguer Adel.

The letter says that the governor has appointed “the whole of his maternal family in Luacjang.”

“All 13 positions given to Luacjang community are only given to his mother’s siblings and relatives and like the rest of Tonj, the whole [rest of] Luac community feels excluded,” the letter reads in part.

The letter further added that “Tonj state offices will be useless to majority of Tonj people, if we all are convinced that Tonj state offices are for relatives, loyal friends, and business friends of Hon Akec Tong Aleu. This misappropriation of public offices is dangerous to community unity, may cause unwanted conflicts and therefore, we will have to bring it to your attention before it is too late,” adds the letter.

It further says, “We will not allow Hon Akec Tong to use Tonj state to build family-politics. It is not part of our culture as the people of Tonj... if this behavior goes on unchecked, we may request your Excellency to remove our governor Hon Akech Tong Aleu in Tonj State and replace him with a more honest, truthful, visionary and compassionate son or daughter of Tonj who will not use the governorship position to intimidate, employ people who are under-age without qualifications to run public offices.”

Tonj State is one of 28 states created by President Salva Kiir by decree but challenged as unconstitutional by a coalition of opposition parties.

Monitors of the peace agreement have called the creation of the 28 states a “violation” of the peace agreement. Salva Kiir says the 28 states are the demand of the people.