The meeting that was to take place Monday between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has been adjourned to Thursday on the president’s request, an official said.
Lily Adhieu, press secretary of the President, stated that the meeting was not officially scheduled in the presidential programs.
“There is no meeting that has taken place because there was no any official communication from the Office of the President,” she told Radio Tamazuj. “You better wait to hear from us officially.”
The two principals were to discuss the current political crisis that arose over the dismissal of Angelina Teny as the minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs and the swapping of the security ministries of defense and Interior.
“The meeting was planned to discuss the recent Republican Decree and Republican Order issued by the President on the 3rd of March 2023 in which he unilaterally removed the Minister…,” reads a press statement from the office of the first vice president.
Article 1.9.1 of the 2018 peace agreement states that the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity is founded on the premise that there shall be collegial collaboration in decision-making and continuous consultations within the Presidency, between the President, the First Vice President, and the Four Vice Presidents, to ensure effective governance during the Transitional Period.
The current political dilemma comes barely after eight days after the extension of the transitional period of the roadmap.
The roadmap was developed to provide time-bound guidance on the implementation of outstanding provisions that are critical to the conduct of peaceful and democratic elections at the end of the transitional period.
