December 25th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, will not accept – at any pressure – the reduction of the current 32 states as demanded by the opposition, a presidential aide said last week.
Speaking to South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation (SSBC) following a meeting between Kiir and a delegation from Terekeka state, presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said no force can compel President Kiir from backing down on 32 states.
“President Salva Kiir is not going to put his pen again to dissolve those states comes what. If it is a pressure, there will be no pressure under the earth, under the sun ….. that will make President Salva Kiir to put his pen on an order that will cancel the 32 states,” Ateny said.
The states issue has been one of the contentious issues between the parties to the revitalized peace agreement signed last year to end the war. The government wants to keep those states or increase them while main opposition groups such as the SPLM-IO wants to decrease them to 10.
South African deputy president David Mabuza early this month convened a meeting of the parties to the agreement to discuss solution for the states issue.
The South African mediation proposed 23 states that were accepted by the opposition but refused by the government. The parties are expected to meet again during the first week of January to discuss the issue again.
