The newly-appointed minister of Presidential Affairs has vowed to reform the “loose” office of the president in running the country’s affairs.
Joseph Bakasoro made the assurance during his reception ceremony in Juba on Tuesday after listening to several concerns from the speakers who called for diversity and resources management in the country’s highest office.
“I will try my best to listen, understand and to do what is right. Yes! We cannot continue with business as usual, there is a bottom line here. Things will change and be reformed if there is a political will to reform,” said Bakasoro.
The minister acknowledges that there is need for reform in the presidency and calls for cooperation among the government officials to achieve the desired outcomes.
“You know the headquarters of our country is loose. We shall discuss that administratively,” he said. “You know what I’m supposed to do and know what you are supposed to do. We need to cooperate among ourselves. I’m not here to be twisted around with lies and manipulation.”
Bakasoro said the coordination of President Salva Kiir’s affairs is in his hands but welcomes the helping hand where he’s not doing well.
“The president has given me that trust to coordinate his affairs, not to lead but to coordinate. Please if I’m failing, come to my aid and support me. At the end of the day, we have one mandate -to move the country one step forward,” he said.
For her part, Josephine Napwon, minister of Environment and Forestry, said the former ministers of presidential affairs might have tried reform but met resistance and asked Bakasoro to try harder in his time.
“We need reform in our country, and we need to start from the office of the president because that is the face of the country and by you being there, we believe that things will go right and you will put everything in place,” Napwon advised.
Bakasoro was relieved as the national minister of public service and human resources development and appointed as minister of presidential affairs on November 27, 2023, replacing Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin.
The thanksgiving event was organized by the Azande Kingdom to thank President Kiir for the appointment of Bakasoro.