Makuei says Kiir is appointing state officials due to absence of ‘valid’ constitutions in the states

JUBA – South Sudan’s information minister Michael Makuei Lueth is saying that President Salva Kiir Mayardit is appointing states government officials because of absence of valid constitutions in the states with which a governor can appoint states and local government officials.

This comes after Kiir appointed in a decree on Saturday members of Central Equatoria states government, from state ministers, advisors to head of independent commissions.

Earlier this month, Nathaniel Pierino, former SPLM-IO governor of the defunct Imatong state and the group’s representative to the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC), said any move by President Salva Kiir Mayardit to appoint members of state governments below the governor would be an abuse of power.

“Any appointment by the Presidency of State Constitutional Post holders below the level of Governors has no legal basis. It is ultra vires and guess work. South Sudan Constitutional development and rule of law has a long way to go. Abuse of powers is from top to bottom,” the outspoken opposition official said on February 5.

“There appears to be no Judiciary arm of government and Chief Justice is ceremonial. There is equally no press,” he added, referring to the state censorship against independent media.

Speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon, information minister Michael Makuei Lueth said governors cannot appoint states constitutional post-holders given the absence of a revised and valid state constitutions.

“This process cannot be done by the governors because you all [media houses] know the state constitutions are not valid because the agreement has not been incorporated into the constitutions of the states,” Makuei said.