South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The opposition South Sudan United Movement (SSUM) has claimed being victimized after it’s leader Denay Jock Chagor lost his position of Governor of Jonglei State to Mahjoub Biel Turuk, Secretary-General of the National Democratic Movement (NDM).
On Wednesday, President Salva Kiir Mayardit relieved Chagor in a presidential decree.
Chagor who is the Chairman of South Sudan United Movement, said the move to replace him was a “unilateral decision” taken in disregard of provisions of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement which his party signed.
“On behalf of South Sudan United Movement, we raised concern about the unilateral decision to replace the position of Jonglei State Governor, a position which had been allocated to SSUM by the peace agreement but now has been given to a member of National Democratic Movement,” Chagor said a letter seen by The Dawn on Thursday.
The National Democratic Movement led by former minister of agriculture and food security Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, is a member of the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA)- a coalition of parties which never signed the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
“Such a change to the power- sharing of the positions among SSOA parties should be done through a consultative process among the members and the Chairperson of SSOA who is Hon. Josephine Lagu,”he said.
He added that the unilateral decision removing him from office contradicts the operation principle of SSOA as a coalition and the R-ARCSS.
“Although the republican decree has been announced on 29th May 2024, by the office of the President, we urge all the parties to the agreement to respect the peace agreement and the power -sharing decision procedures and therefore, we call for the decision to be reversed,” Chagor said.
