Matik Kueth
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The former Governor of Jonglei State, Denay Chagor, protested his removal arguing the decision to install Mr Mahjoub Biel as his successor was in contravention of the procedures of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).
In a statement obtained by The City Review on Thursday, Chagor stated that the position he held was allocated to SSUM—an affiliate party within SSOA—by the revitalised peace agreement.
According to him, the decision to appoint Biel, who is a member of the National Democratic Movement, was unilateral and denied the South Sudan United Movement (SSUM) its share of the national cake.
“On behalf of South Sudan United Movement (SSUM), we raise concern about the unilateral decision to replace the position of Jonglei State Governor, a position that had been allocated to SSUM by the peace agreement arrangement but, now has been given to a member of the National Democratic Movement (NDM),” Chagor stated.
He said SSOA, as a coalition of political parties, was given equal shares of positions under the Revitalised Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCISS).
According to the former governor, a change in power-sharing of positions amongst SSOA parties should be done through a consultative process among the SSOA members.
He added, “And to the Chairperson of SSOA who is Hon. Josephine Lagu. Unilateral decision-making is contrary to the operational principles of SSOA as a coalition, and the R-ARCISS.”
Chagor emphasised that President Kiir ought to reconsider the decision and urged all parties to the agreement to respect it as well as the power-sharing in decision-making processes.
“Although the Republican Decree has been announced on 29th May 2024 by the office of the President, we urge all the parties to agreement to respect the peace agreement and the power sharing decision procedures, and therefore we call for the decision to be reverse,” he stated.
On Wednesday evening, President Salva Kiir made a gubernatorial change in a span of weeks, sacking the governor of Jonglei State, Denay Chagor, and appointing the Chief Whip of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), Mahjoub Biel, as his successor.
Chagor was dismissed in a presidential decree read by the national broadcaster, SSBC TV, on Wednesday, with no cited reasons for his dismissal.
Biel takes over from Chagor at a time when the state is facing challenges of insecurity with cross-border attacks being blamed on the armed youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
Back in February 2024, when the governor of the Bank of South Sudan, Dr James Alic, opened up a branch in Bor, Chagor spent his time warning against the escalating insecurity, which he said needed the intervention of the national government. He argued that opening the BoSS branch would even worsen the situation.
He called on the lawmakers from the state to highlight the woes of the state on the floor of the National Assembly to ensure that they get a proper response.
Chagor is the third governor to be dismissed since the year began. President Kiir recently dismissed the former governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil, replacing him with Augustino Jadalla and the former governor of Unity State, Dr Joseph Manytuil, replacing him with Riek Biem. The Chief Administrators of Ruweng and GPAA have also been replaced, as has the deputy governor of Western Equatoria State.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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