Makuei says peace deal ‘might collapse’ if Olony appointed Upper Nile governor

JUBA – South Sudan’s information minister and government spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth has said that the revitalized peace agreement may collapse if General Johnson Olony Thabo is appointed as governor of the oil-rich Upper Nile state.

This comes after President Salva Kiir said last week that he had request opposition leader and First Vice-president Dr. Riek Machar Teny who nominated Olony to first accept responsibility in a written letter for what may follow if Olony is to be appointed.

Makuei was quoted in an interview with the independent Radio Tamazuj last week as saying President Salva Kiir Mayardit did not agree to appoint General Olony, saying if that happened he would have been appointed, adding that Kiir is fearing that Olony’s appointment may end peace deal.

“If the president had agreed, he would have appointed him. He is the only governor who has not been appointed and if the president agreed he would have appointed him already,” Makuei said.

“Maybe even the peace agreement might collapse if Olony is appointed. This is the reason the president has been reluctant in appointing Olony but Dr. Riek has been insisting and the president told him to make an undertaking that if anything happens like chaos and or fighting in Upper Nile then he (Dr. Machar) will be responsible,” he said.

Makuei further said Machar should have agreed to take the oath of responsibility, saying however that he “doubt if Riek has agreed to this.”

“If he agreed, Olony would have been appointed.”