S. Sudan president, first deputy agree to form state and local gov’ts, national legislature
The president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, right, and Dr. Riek Machar, left, greet each other after swearing in ceremony in Juba, South Sudan Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. South Sudan opened a new chapter in its fragile emergence from civil war Saturday as rival leaders formed a coalition government that many observers prayed would last this time around. (AP Photo)
JUBA – South Sudan president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, and his first deputy and SPLM-IO leader, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, have agreed to form the long-awaited state and local governments as well as the national legislature during a presidency meeting in Juba on Wednesday.
In a statement seen by Sudans Post on Wednesday afternoon, the presidential affairs ministry said Kiir and Machar agreed to “appoint the State and Local Governments of the nine (9) States, except that of Upper Nile State.”
The statement added that the deal also provides that President Kiir will “proceeds to establish the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States,” and a conference of the Upper Nile state communities be convened in Juba “to discuss ways and means of resolving any tribal or communal differences and to engender harmony in the State prior to a final decision on the appoint of the Governor of the State.”
Activist welcome decision
Reacting to the news, South Sudan activist, Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), welcomed the decision saying the country want to see functioning state governments before 2021.
“It’s a long-awaited development that we appreciate. We don’t want to cross to 2021 without full-fledged revitalized government at the state levels, the national level, the parliament and the council of states and the independent commission, including the state levels and structures of the local governments,” he said.