Feb 23, 2021(Nyamilepedia) — The SPLM/A-IO group led by Vice President Taban Deng Gai has filed a formal complaint against South Sudan’s President Salva Mayardit for excluding them in the ongoing appointment of state officials.
According to a letter signed by 40 officials of the former SPLM-IO, the president has issued four decrees in which he appointed state government officials but failed to include the Tabans group in his appointments.
“Your Excellency issued Decree No:11, 12, 13, 14 establishing the State Government of Central Equatoria, Northern Bhar el Gazal, Unity and Warrap States respectively. We are indeed deeply shocked and dismayed because the Decree omitted the nominees of the former SPLM/A-IO led by Gen. Taban Deng Gai despite the fact that we are part of ITGONU as clearly stipulated in Article 1.3.1 of the R- ARCSS 2018,” said former SPLM-IO officials in a letter.
The group expressed concerns that if they are to miss appointments from other pending states, it means that they will be excluded from the unity government forever.
“Our serious fear is that if the bad development in these states is copied by the other states, then our group will be completely excluded from participation in the State and local governments in the country.”
It said that it is deeply concerned with the proposal of the acting Secretary General of SPLM which was submitted to the president concerning the expansion and reconstitution of the National Legislature.
According to the group, her proposal allocates:
- 165 seats for those elected to Juba NLA in 2010 to be maintained.
- 91 seats for those elected to the Legislative Assembly in Khartoum in 2010 to be maintained.
- 47 Presidential appointees to the NLA in 2011 to be maintained.
The letter further said that the SPLM will have the majority seats with 303 seats leaving only 29 seats to be shared by other groups.
“Thus the total number of seats for the SPLM alone will be 303 out of 332 leaving only 29 seats for the other parties in ITGONU. Furthermore, out of the 29 seats, ten will be allocated to some elected members in 2010 leaving only 19 seats for those who were appointed in 2016. If her formula is followed, it means that the majority of the 68 Presidential appointees in 2016 as a result of the 2015 ARCSS will have been excluded.”
“Consequently the 50members of the former SPLM/A-I0 led by Gen. Taban Deng Gai will have been wickedly excluded. Your Excellency, our humble prayer to you is to maintain the unity of our people and parties which have been historically supporting you since the 2016 crisis by distributing the 332 seats fairly.”
