Kiir, Machar to meet on Olony – spokesman
SPLM-IO nominee for Upper Nile state governor General Johnson Olony (Photo credit: Supplied)
July 6, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy, Dr. Riek Machar Teny will meet this week to discuss the deadlock over the SPLM-IO nominee for Upper Nile state governor, a spokesman for Machar said.
Last week, Machar nominated SPLA-IO general, Johnson Olony Thambo, for the governorship of Upper Nile state which was allocated to the former rebel movement. Kiir however rejected to appoint Olony saying he was not acceptable to Apadang community of Upper Nile state.
Later last week, a senior member of the SPLM-IO told South Sudan News Now that Kiir had demanded that Olony is replaced by another person from another tribe saying his appointment to the top state position would jeopardize reconciliation efforts between the people of Upper Nile state.
In a statement to the media, James Gatdet Dak, the spokesman for First Vice President Machar said the SPLM-IO was still not aware of why Olony was not appointed as nominated by his group. He said Kiir and Machar would meet in the near future to discuss the issue.
“Unfortunately, Johnson Olony for Upper Nile state was not appointed. We do not know why he was not appointed,” Gatdet said.
“I hope His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit and His Excellency, the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar; will soon resolve the matter as leaders of major parties. We submitted names of our three nominees for the gubernatorial positions for the states of Upper Nile, Western Equatoria, and Western Bahr el Ghazal. We did it since 24 June 2020,” he added.
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