Kiir says governors have no powers to suspend or remove officials

JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has warned state governors against suspending or dismissing officials from positions, saying they do not have the authority to do so under the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

The president made the remarks during the opening session of the seventh Governors’ Forum in Juba on Tuesday.

He said that governors are not supposed to dismiss or suspend members of other political parties.

“Through the high-level standing committee for the implementation of the agreement, no governor has the right to dismiss or suspend anybody from their positions just because he or she is from another party,” he said.

He directed the high-level standing committee to set up a mechanism to resolve disputes between governors and ministers.

“You are supposed to work as colleagues regardless of your political or personnel differences, I will direct the high-level standing committee for the implementation of the agreement to set up a mechanism for the resolution of the dispute so that we move forward together as partners in the implementation of the agreement and we move smoothly toward elections by December 2024,” he said.

Kiir expressed concern about the lack of cabinet meetings in some states and conflicts between the executive and state assemblies, which he believes contribute to instability.

He instructed relevant national institutions to develop a mechanism ensuring that governors present their reports to the national council of ministers for scrutiny, as mandated by the constitution.

“In this regard, I am going to direct the national institutions responsible for governance to develop a mechanism that will ensure that governors present their report to the national council of ministers for scrutinizing as required by the constitution so that there is minimum standards for the governors of all the states in South Sudan,” he said.

Kiir added that some of the governors are not implementing the provisions of the 2018 peace deal, which is causing problems between the parties to the agreement.

He called for renewed commitment to the peace deal and emphasized the importance of cooperation in achieving the agreement’s objectives.