The governor of Western Equatoria state in South Sudan, Alfred Futuyo Karaba says there is a lack of cooperation in the state leadership leading to a strained relationship with his deputy.
In recent months, a political crisis erupted between Governor Futuyo, chairperson of the SPLM-IO, and his deputy Kennedy Ganiko, also the state SPLM chairperson after the latter announced his party’s withdrawal from the government.
Ganiko had accused the governor of embezzlement of public funds, unilateral decision to deduct salaries, grabbing and selling of public land, and failure to provide security across the state, allegations Fuyuto rubbished saying they are meant to tarnish his name.
Speaking during a press conference on the sidelines of the 6th Governors’ Forum in Juba on Monday, Futuyo accused his deputy of insubordination.
“The issue of protocol is the problem in my state. My deputy is acting like he is a governor. If you look at the cars he moves with, he moves with six cars plus the one for bodyguards, yet I move with only two cars plus one car for escort. Now, who is the governor here? So this is like we are two governors in the state,” he stated.
Futuyo added, “Secondly if we go to the council of ministers meeting giving directions for what needs to be done, my deputy will also call for his ministers to do the same thing just to counter whatever I am doing as the governor.”
Last month, the presidency sent a committee to Western Equatoria State to investigate the recent political fallout in the state government.
However, the findings of the investigation are yet to be made public.