Nov 21, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — Reiterating his rejection for the appointment of the SPLM/A-IO gubernatorial candidate for the Upper Nile State, Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo, President Salva Kiir has issued a neck-breaking precondition that should Riek Machar accept it, he may appoint Johnson Olony although he does not want to.
“I am still waiting for my First Vice President Dr Riek Machar to give me the hand written undertaking letter as we have agreed” President Kiir said.
Addressing religious leaders and eminent personalities from the Global Churches, who visited him in his J1 residence to persuade him to appoint General Olony and to commit to full implementing of the peace agreement, president Salva Kiir tabled what he believes are burning issues; however, he pledged that he could bypass them if his opponent signs a liability assurance on behave of Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony.
In the past, President Kiir said he could not appoint Olony because he sees him as a warmonger and expressed fears that his people will not be comfortable under Olony’s leadership.
According to his press secretary, President Kiir does not believe that Olony is a member of SPLM/A-IO.
In addition, President Kiir believes that Olony has refused to come to Juba but he also claims that the people of Upper Nile do not want Olony appointed as their governor.
Despite his sharp disapproval of Olony, president Kiir is calling on the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, “to write an undertaking letter taking full responsibility should General Johnson Olony be appointed as Governor of Upper Nile State and create conflict because he was not initially a member of the SPLM-IO.”
“Dr. Riek Machar has not yet brought the letter of undertaking to me.” Kiir said.
Although no witness has testified on what the terms of the undertaking would be, an undertaking is a legal document that would hold the guarantor [Machar] accountable for whatever may go wrong under Olony’s leadership and such may include indictable offences such as treason and murder.
At the time of this writing, Machar’s office has not responded on whether the SPLM/A-IO chairman is aware of such preconditions and if he will submit the undertaking or not.
On the implementation of the peace agreement, President Kiir brushed off the blames by saying that he is ready to form local governments and implement the peace agreements but claimed the oppositions are yet to submit their lists.
