Dec 12, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan’s First Vice President and the chairman of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in opposition(SPLM/A-IO) said that the party will hold a conference in Fashoda, Upper Nile State, to address the issue of appointment of the Upper Nile Governor.
Speaking during the closure of the 6th SPLM/SPLA-IO national conference in Juba on Saturday, the SPLM/A-IO leader, Dr. Riek Machar, disclosed this information insinuating that maybe after the conference the people of Upper Nile State will enjoy the benefits of peace just like other states.
“We will go to Malakal because we want to go and hold a conference in Fashoda to address other issues there so that Upper Nile may be like other states that enjoy the benefits of peace,” Dr. Machar told the participants.
The appointment of General Johnson Olony Thabo has been in question since his nomination by Dr. Riek Machar in June.
President Kiir has refused to ascend him to power as the governor of Upper Nile State describing him as an “active soldier” who has not fully subjected himself to the political developments in Juba, and is not “within territories that are controlled by SPLM-IO or by the government”.
But Dr. Riek Machar’s office has maintained that Olony is “a general in the SPLA-IO which is a recognized army”.
SPLM-IO has since refused to change its nominee of Upper Nile governor insisting that the South Sudanese head of state does not have power to reject other party’s nominees.
According to the opposition party, the president’s failure to appoint its nominee would amount to a violation of the revitalized peace agreement signed by Kiir and Machar in September 2018.
In June 2020, President Salva Kiir appointed nine state governors but the SPLM-IO nominee for Upper Nile is nominated but yet to be appointed by president Kiir.
