Sheila Ponnie
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Pressure is piling up on the Acting Mayor of Juba City and Lainya County Commissioner, Emmanuel Khamis, with calls mounting for him quit over assault.
Two months into his tenure at the country’s most important city job, Khamis fitted well into power and commanded changes from first day of his appointment. But a turn of events in a couple of days threaten to render him jobless after he was filmed allegedly slapping a hawker in Juba.
On Wednesday, female members of parliament, civil society activists and citizens demanded immediate resignation of the administrator or his sacking.
The National Legislative Assembly issued a statement calling for the removal of the acting mayor immediately.
During the ordinary sitting chaired by Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba on Wednesday in Juba, Reath Tang, a member of Parliament representing Upper Nile State Nasir County spoke, called for action against Khamis saying his behaviour was contrary to the expectation bestowed on the office he holds.
“We have seen a shocking video of the Acting Mayor of Juba City carrying a pistol slapping a woman and threatening vendors on the road and that does not reflect the picture of South Sudan,” Tang said.
Tang said that if an individual is seen to have committed an offence, they should be taken through the formal prosecution process.
“I want this acting Mayor to be called to this assembly or we can make a resolution directing the Governor of Central Equatoria State to relive him (Acting Mayor) immediately,” Tang said.
Grace Abalang, another SPLM-IG MP representing Ikotos County in Eastern Equatoria State, called for the dismissal of the acting mayor, adding that he should not even serve as a county commissioner.
“The mayor is not the law. As a woman representative, we are asking and requesting the mayor to apologize to the women of South Sudan or resign or the governor of Central Equatoria State should relieve him,” she said.
She added, “There is no way a leader can act in that way so we are requesting the mayor to apologise to the women of South Sudan in writing within 24 hours or he should resign.”
“This man has violated the ethics of leadership and he does not deserve to be the acting mayor nor the commissioner of Lainya County and he has to go home because he has participated in violence against women,” she added.
But according to Farouk Gatkouth Kam, the SPLM-IO chief whip, an apology would be pointless since the harm was already done.
“What good can an apology do after the action has occurred?” This guy needs to pack and leave. Request that the governor relieve him. “We are the supreme authority in this country,” Gatkouth said.
“If someone gets to the point of slapping our women, what will he do next?” he continued.
“He should have slapped a man like himself And he was slapping a woman while holding a pistol, so there is no need for an apology. What good will an apology make? Allow him to pack and leave.”
Joy Kwaje, an SPLM MP from Juba West County, argued the acting mayor misused his authority by hitting the women and should be fired.
“As a woman in this country, I can say that our women are suffering.” They are on the street in order to put food on the table. After all, the majority of our men are unemployed. Now, if we’re going to be slapped and abused on the streets of Juba, I don’t think it’s appropriate,” she said.
“The acting mayor is responsible for his actions,” Kwaje added, “and he has to leave that office, and if he has an explanation to give, he should do it outside of the office.”
More to come
Kumba ruled that the House would recommend to Central Equatoria State, Governor Emmanuel Adil, that Acting JCC Mayor Emmanuel Khamis be relieved of both positions with immediate effect.
“So the house resolution on this matter in which the acting mayor misused his power to beat women is a human rights violation against women, and therefore the house resolved to recommend to the governor of Central Equatoria State to relieve the acting mayor from both positions,” she said.
The Acting Mayor was appointed in June 2023 by Governor of Central Equatoria State (CES), Emmanuel Adil, after firing Michael Allah Jabu and two deputies.
The other two were the Deputy Mayor for Infrastructure and Development Thiik Thiik Maryardit, and Deputy Mayor for Administration and Finance Federico Nyokun Wani.
According to the South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution, 2011 under the Bill of Rights on Freedom from Torture article 18, no person shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhumane, or degradation treatment or punishment.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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