South Sudan’s deputy president says firing of officials threatens a peace deal with the president

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan’s deputy president says a Cabinet reshuffle this week that saw the removal of multiple senior officials threatens a fragile peace agreement reached with the president in 2018.

Riek Machar, whose political rivalry with President Salva Kiir has in the past exploded into civil war, called for the reinstatement of Health Minister Yolanda Awel Deng and Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba, governor of Western Equatoria state.

Other officials sacked by Kiir include two other vice presidents and the spy chief.

Machar said Tuesday that the unilateral dismissals violate the 2018 power-sharing agreement following which he returned to Juba, the capital, with the title of first vice president of South Sudan.

Kiir’s “persistent violations through unilateral decisions and decrees threaten the very existence” of the agreement, his statement said.

There was no immediate comment by Kiir or his government.

South Sudan has five vice presidents, according to the 2018 agreement, which ended five years of civil war and was reached with the help of the U.S. and others.

There were high hopes for peace and stability once oil-rich South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. But the country slid into civil war in December 2013 largely based on ethnic divisions when forces loyal to Kiir started battling those loyal to Machar.

The 2018 peace agreement is yet to be fully implemented. Challenges include the government’s failure to implement promised reforms such as completing the unification of the army command. Presidential elections, repeatedly postponed, are now scheduled for 2026.

United Nations experts have previously warned that the stability of South Sudan remains at risk because of missed deadlines and political gridlock on key issues in the unity government’s agreement.

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This story has been corrected to remove a statement incorrectly attributed to Vice President Riek Machar about threatening to quit a 2018 peace agreement after President Salva Kiir fired multiple officials this week.

By DENG MACHOL
Associated Press