SPLM sued at supreme court over violation of 35% women quota in unity gov’t

JUBA – South Sudan’s ruling  Sudans People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) faction has been sued at the Supreme Court by two activists over its violation of women’s 35% share in the unity government as provided for in the revitalized peace agreement.

Under the revitalized peace deal signed in September 2018, women should be granted 35% quota representation at the national, state and local levels.

However, this has not been put into action when president Salva Kiir appointed six governors allocated to the ruling faction in late June.

He appointed all governors, of Lakes, Central Equatoria, Unity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Eastern Equatoria state and Warrap state, males.

The main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, under First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar appointed one female governor out of the three allocated to the faction by the revitalized peace agreement.

Activists Wani Michael of the Okay Africa Foundation, a civil society organization in Juba, said the SPLM faction under President Salva has violated the revitalized peace deal for not securing women’s share as provided for in the agreement.

“The SPLM decided to appoint six male governors of Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Unity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes and Warrap and they did not appoint any woman. That violates the constitution under Article 16 (4a), which demands the representation of women. So 35 percent of six is supposed to be two governors. We went to court; we want the supreme court to challenge that appointment,” Michael is quoted by Radio Tamazuj as saying.

“35 percent is the constitutional rights of women that nobody should take away from them. It does not mean only in ministries, 35 % means that all levels of government including governors. So, our appeal is that the Supreme Court will be able to deliver justice to the women and ensure that women are represented at all levels of government,” he stressed.

Philip Anyang, a lawyer for the civil society organization said: “We moved to the supreme court to make a decision and revoke the presidential order appointing the six governors and declare that order as null and void. The declaration for the appointment of six governors of the six states without women representation is a violation of Article 3.”