High-level SPLM-IO meeting condemns defense minister’s sacking, urges Kiir to revoke decision

JUBA, MARCH 4, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A high-level meeting of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) on Saturday condemned the removal of the country’s defense minister by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and urged him to revoke his decision.

Yesterday, Kiir issued several presidential decrees including two for dismissal of the ministers of defense, Angelina Teny of the SPLM-IO, and interior Mahmoud Solomon of the SPLM-IG.

Kiir in a separate decree swapped the two ministers, shifting defense portfolio to his party and giving interior away to the SPLM-IO.

In a statement following a day-long meeting, the SPLM-IO condemns the presidential moves which it said were unilateral and so violates the revitalized peace agreement that gives each party signatory to remove its own members from the government at will.

“The Political Bureau condemns and rejects the unilateral removal of Hon. Angelina Teny as Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs in violation of Article 1.13.1, which gives each party to the Agreement the power to remove its representatives in the Council of Ministers and nominate replacements by notifying the President,” the SPLM-IO Political Bureau meeting reads in part.

“The swapping of the ministries equally violates the provision of Article 1.12.1 of the Agreement which requires the Parties to agree on the allocation and selection of ministerial portfolios in the RTGONU,” the statement added.

The main armed opposition group’s statement further called on the president to “revoke the unilateral Decree and the Republican” and return the first women defense minister in the world’s youngest country to her position.

“In light of the above violations, the Political Bureau would like to point out that the “RTGONU is founded on the premise of collegial collaboration in decision-making and continuous consultations within the Presidency, between the President, the First Vice President and the four Vice Presidents, to ensure effective governance during the Transitional Period,” the statement added.

It further reiterated the SPLM-IO “commitment to full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement in letter and spirit.”