In response to President Salva Kiir's decision to fire Gen.
Alfred Futuyo Karaba and Yolanda Awel Deng, the SPLM-IO has objected to the
dismissals.
Awel and Futuyo, who represent the opposition party, were
health minister and Western Equatoria State governor, respectively.
At a meeting on Tuesday in Juba, the SPLM-IO Political
Bureau demanded their quick reinstatements, saying the action was unilateral.
“…. the decrees violate the replacement and removal
procedures under Article of the R-ARCSS,” the resolution of the political
bureau reads.
On Monday night, President Kiir issued several republican
decrees, making changes within the government, which included the removal of
two vice presidents and the dismissal of the National Security Service’s (NSS)
Internal Security Bureau (ISB) Director General.
In response, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, who also
serves as Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of SPLM-IO, issued a statement
affirming the Political Bureau’s stance.
The statement emphasized that the dismissals violated the
principles of the peace agreement, which outlines power-sharing arrangements
within the transitional government.
Beyond the political dispute, the SPLM-IO Political Bureau
also addressed concerns regarding security breaches in Western Equatoria and
Western Bahr El Ghazal States.
Reports indicate recent violations of security arrangements,
raising fears of instability in these regions.
While alleging the assassination attempt on the former
governor Gen. Futuyo by SSPDF after dismissal, the opposition has urged
adherence to the agreed security framework to prevent further escalation.
“[Political Bureau] condemns the assassination attempt on
the life of the Governor of Western Equatoria State and the lives of members of
his family at his official residence, and other SPLM-I0 members in Yambio,
Tombura, and Najero Counties by the elements of the SSPDF,” the statement
continued.
While the opposition calls on CTSAMVM to investigate the
violations and hold the perpetrators accountable, it also urges adherence to
the principles of the R-ARCSS.
“The Political Bureau calls on President Salva Kiir to
uphold the R-ARCSS as the persistent violations through unilateral decisions
and decrees threaten the very existence of the agreement," it added.
This new political rift emerged nearly two weeks before the launch of the two-year extended transitional period on February 22, 2025.
