SPLM-IO urges President Kiir to reinstate Speaker of Jonglei State Assembly

Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) has asked President Salva Kiir to reinstate it’s nominee for Speaker of Jonglei State parliament Amer Ateny Alier.

Puok Both Baluang, Acting Spokesperson in the Office of the First Vice President and Chairman of SPLM-IO Riek Machar on Thursday said  President Salva Kiir violated the 2018 peace agreement when he blocked Alier’s appointment.

“The decision made by President Kiir to revoke the appointment of Hon. Speaker Amer Ateny Alier was a unilateral decision from SPLM,” Baluang told The Juba Echo.

On January 4, President Kiir revoked the appointment of Amer Ateny Alier as the Speaker of the Jonglei State Legislative Assembly.

 Kiir did not name her immediate replacement leaving the office vacant till now.

Alier was appointed in November 2021 under the SPLM-IO ticket.

Baluang said the decree was issued without consultation from SPLM-IO leadership.

“There was no consultation done, we were surprised to hear about this decision on SSBC, there was no consultation done with the leadership of the SPLM-IO,” he said.

“The leadership of the SPLM-IO didn’t recommend to revoke her appointment, this is a great violation of the agreement which gives us the power to recommend and relieve our members,” added Baluang.

He urged Kiir to reconsider the decision, adding it sets bad precedent for the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.

Ter Manyang Gatwech, the Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) called for the reinstatement of Alier as substantive Speaker.

“We call on President Kiir to restore the Jonglei State Speaker unless the SPLM-IO agrees with her removal by the President,” Manyang said in a statement.

Manyang urged parties to avoid misinterpretation of the peace deal and roadmap.

“Undermining other parties during the implementation of the R-ARCSS and Roadmap is intended to deny the people of South Sudan a peaceful transition toward a democratic state and rule of law by 2025,” he said.