South Sudan News: “Oppositions Want States Divided 50/50, Government Is Saying No” ~ Michael Makuei Lueth

March 29, 2020 News, Newsbeat, Nyamilepedia, South Sudan

Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth speaking to the media during an event (Photo credit: supplied)

March 29, 2020(SSNN) — Explaining the government account to media, South Sudan Minister of Information, who also doubles as the government spokesman, Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth, said the parties reached a deadlock on allocation of states because the oppositions want the states to be divided 50/50.

“What is hampering the appointment is the dispute over the allocation of states. The SPLM/A-IO and their opposition are saying we are dividing in half – 50/50.” Said the Minister of Information, Michael Makuei.

The South Sudan Minister of Information, who was speaking to the Chief Editor of the Nyamilepedia Press, argued that the South Sudan government delegation proposed that the oppositions should settle for 4 states and leave 6 states to the government faction.

“The government is saying no, according to the agreement, we have 55%, you have 45%. So we can’t divide them 50/50 because 55 is not equivalent to 45. We are taking six and you the opposition are taking four” Hon. Makuei continued.

“We are taking six because we are entitled for that, we are the leading party in this agreement. IO will take two, SSOA will take one and OPP will take one, that is four” He continued.

The Minister of Information further reiterated that the government comprises of multiple political parties that need to be given something as well.

“The government also comprises of parties. There are three parties to this agreement that is Salva Kiir or the SPLM-IG, then you have SPLM-IO-IG and then you have opposition parties in government (OPP-IG) which are headed by Martin Elia and Onyoti. These people will have to be given also” Makuei explained.

The government spokesman confirmed that the parties began negotiations at 10 am and had to call off the meeting at 2 pm because the SPLM-IO refused to accept two states.

“The SPLM-IO is demanding that they must get three. We even tried to sit this evening, this afternoon, this morning – we started from 10 am up to 2pm and we could not make a breakthrough” Makuei said.