Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan’s former opposition commander General Gathoth Gatkuoth Hoth Nyang has been dismissed by as Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement of the oil-rich Upper Nile state for allegedly intimidating governor Abudhok Anyang and his deputy James Tor Monbuny.
General Gathoth Gatkuoth was appointed on the ticket of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) as Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement when President Salva Kiir Mayardit reconstituted the Upper Nile state government in March as part of a transitional arrangement provided for in the revitalized peace agreement.
Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, a senior government official in Malakal said Gen. Gathoth was removed by consensus between the governor and his deputy after General Gathoth decided to mobilize local youth from the Nuer to intimidate the government after his proposal to enforce hundreds of dollars as burden against local chiefs was rejected during a statement cabinet.
“Earlier this, General Gathoth Gatkuoth decided to impose 800 dollars for anyone who want to contest for position of local chiefs. This proposal was rejected by the government during a state cabinet meeting and because of this, he went to mobilize local youth and then began to intimidate the government with tensions,” the official who requested not to be named told Sudans Post in Malakal this afternoon.
“Because of these threats, the government of Upper Nile state decided to take steps to avert those tensions created by the former minister of local government and did not wait because the situation in Upper Nile state we know it is fragile and that is why there is need for immediate action,” the official added.
Gathoth is a controversial government official who once served as minister of labour and human resources development. He was previously a senior SPLA-IO commander who led the Malakal onslaught in which a number of civilians were killed by armed youth also known as the ‘White Army’.
