The newly appointed governor of South Sudan’s Wau State, Elias Waya Nyipuoc, has promised to secure the release of all political prisoners from the state as declared by President Salva Kiir.

Several political prisoners from Wau including the UN radio journalist George Livio Bahara hav been held in Juba for more than a year without charge.

In a community gathering in the capital Juba on Sunday, the governor said he plans to meet President Salva Kiir and the Director-General of the Internal Security Bureau Akol Kur over political detainees who hail from the state.

Elias further said he will return back to Wau together with the detainees on Thursday. In his New Year message, President Salva Kiir announced a general pardon for all prisoners of war. However, nothing happened so far.

Meeting with SPLM-IO members

Separately, Governor Elias Waya said he met with members of the advance team of the armed opposition in Juba on Saturday.

He explained that he met with Tingo Peter from Wau State and Dehiya Jabr Al Dar from neighboring Lol State. The appointed top official noted that they agreed to travel together to Wau.

Elias pledged to provide full protection and accommodation to the members of the opposition in the state. “The wrong things that happened in Wau are the responsibility of individuals – not the responsibility of the SPLM,” he said.