Kiir rejects Taban request for 20% share of positions in parliament, states

JUBA – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has reportedly  rejected a request by vice-president Taban Deng Gai that he is given a certain percentage of power share in the states, the parliament and at the local government level.

Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, a senior government and SPLM official said Taban had made a request to be given at least 20% of the positions allocated to the ITGONU in the states and the parliament.

“There was a meeting of the SPLM political bureau yesterday. Vice-president Taban wanted at least 20% of the positions given to the ruling party in the states and the national parliament,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“This request was immediately rejected by the acting Secretary-General Jemma Nunu Kumba because Taban is already a SPLM member,” he said.

The official further said “President Kiir has also rejected the request by Taban and he told him that positions can not be divided between individuals within the party.”

The former ITGONU is made up of Kiir’s SPLM, Taban’s SPLM-IO and a coalition of opposition groups in Juba. Taban had dissolved his group for possible return to the SPLM party, but has not yet been integrated.