“SSOA must accept Jonglei whether they like it or not” – Michael Makuei
South Sudan information minister Michael Makuei Lueth (Photo credit is Unknown)
JUBA – Michael Makuei Lueth, the South Sudan information, has criticized the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) for not accepting the decision of president Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar on the allocation of states saying they will accept it at the end “whether they like it or not.”
This comes after the opposition consortium issued a statement rejecting a consensus reached by Kiir and Machar, the main signatories to the revitalized peace agreement, on the sticky issue of the states allocation.
In the agreement reached on Wednesday, Kiir’s SPLM is to take the states of Warrap, Lakes, Unity, Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal.
SPLM-IO was given the three states of Upper Nile, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Western Equatoria.
The Alliance was given Jonglei state instead of Upper Nile state which it had badly sought.
Speaking to reporters at the premise of the ministry of information in Juba on Thursday evening, Michael Makuei said the government regrets the decision by SSOA leaders to reject the outcome of the meeting.
He said, out of their will, they would eventually accept the outcome of the main signatories of the revitalized peace agreement.
“It is very unfortunate that some leaders of the opposition are still seeking to prolong the suffering of our people in the state,” Michael Makuei said.
“We regret it as a government and as a main party to the agreement. But, in the end, they will accept it whether they like it or not,” Makuei added.