Juba City Chamber of Commerce Condemns Appointment Claims by Mayor
The Juba City Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture has strongly rejected allegations that the Mayor of Juba City Council, Christopher Sharafino Swaka, appointed Marcello Swaka as Chairperson of the Chamber to serve political interests.
The claims, reportedly made by the Central Equatoria State and Juba County Chamber of Commerce, have been dismissed by the Chamber’s leadership as unfounded and politically motivated.
Marcello Swaka, who currently serves as Chairperson of the Juba City Chamber, described the allegations as “baseless” and misleading. He stated that the assertions wrongly portray his appointment as politically driven rather than the result of established institutional procedures.
According to Swaka, the Juba City Chamber operates as an independent body guided by its constitution and legal framework. He emphasized that external entities have no mandate to interfere in its internal affairs.
He further noted that Robert Pitia, Chairperson of the Central Equatoria State Chamber of Commerce, lacks constitutional authority over the Juba City Chamber. Swaka called on all stakeholders to respect the autonomy and integrity of private sector institutions.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between business leadership structures and local authorities in Juba, particularly around issues of governance, institutional independence, and jurisdiction.
