President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Thursday night issued a republican decree stating the dismissal of the governor of the country’s restive Upper Nile state, Gen. Abudhok Anyang after a request from his first deputy and main rival, Riek Machar Teny.
In the decree read out on the state-own South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), the president did not cite any reason for the changes, but sources revealed that the replacement of the Upper Nile governor was asked for by Machar.
In another decree, the South Sudanese head of state-appointed Honorable James Othok Oyiay of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by Machar as the new governor.
In a statement, the Executive Director in the Office of President Nyenagwek Kuol welcomed the replacement of the Upper Nile governor, signalling confirmation that Kiir made the changes with consensus from Machar.
“Congratulations [to] Hon James Othok Oyiay, [new] Governor of the Upper Nile. I am so much happy for you and my best wishes to you comrade,” stated via a Facebook post.
