SPLM-IG, SSOA, OPP and FDs withdraw from Western Equatoria state government

JUBA – South Sudan political parties, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Government (SPLM-IG), South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), Other Political Parties (OPP) and Former Detainees (FDs), have declared their boycott of the Western Equatoria State government, citing ‘incompetent’ leadership of Governor Alfred Futuyo.

Addressing journalists in Yambio on Saturday morning, Kennedy Ganiko, deputy governor of Western Equatoria State and chairperson of the SPLM-IG in the state said they have decided to withdraw from active participation from Western Equatoria State government because the governor has also withdrawn from the council of ministers’ meetings.

“Following the Withdrawal of Governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba from the Government of Western Equatoria State Council of Ministers and his indefinite suspension of the council of ministers meeting on Friday the 7th- October 2022, We the members of the SPLM/IG, SSOA, OPP, FDs and SPLM IO in the Executive, state Parliament, Independent Commissions and the County Commissioners do here by declare to the public our decision to withdraw our active participation from western Equatoria State government,” he told reporters.

The SPLM-IG chairperson of Western Equatoria said one of the reasons for the four group’s withdrawal from the state government is because of the “withdrawal of the Governor from the council minister’s meetings citing reason for being allegedly accused of mismanagement of public fund and will only resume the council of minister’s meetings after the intervention of the national government to address issues in the state.”

The deputy governor accused his boss of indefinitely suspending the council of ministers meeting “without any clear administrative and legal reasons” and claimed that the governor “does not follow the government established system to administer state affairs” as well as deduction of civil servants’ salaries by at least 30%.

The official claimed that the governor has not paid members of the state parliament for at least five months.

“Based on the above reasons, we therefore decided to withdraw our active participation in the state government of Western Equatoria sate under the leadership of Governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba as from today the 8^th of October 2022 until the intervention of the national government to resolve issues affecting the state as a whole,” he said.