April 19, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has turned down a request to meet members of the SPLM-IO who defected from First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar to join him last week, officials said.
On Wednesday, former South Sudan Petroleum Minister and senior SPLM-IO member declared his decision – along with nine others – to join the SPLM-IG under president Salva Kiir accusing Machar of turning the main armed opposition group into a “family dynasty.”
Speaking to Nyamilepedia on Sunday evening, a senior government official said Dak Duop had requested on Saturday that he meet President Salva Kiir on Monday to discuss “important” issued pertaining to the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
“Hon. Dak Duop requested on Saturday to meet the President on Monday. This is because he want to discuss with the president importanting issues in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
The opposition official further said they received a letter from the office of the President stating that the president was busy and inline with the current measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, there was no time and so that meeting should comes after a few weeks.
“Well we received a letter from the Office of the President saying that such meetings were to be conducted after a few weeks due to the ongoing fight against the coronavirus,” the official said.
Other opposition officials who defected with Dak Duop said on Friday that Duop was demanding that he is given the governorship of the Upper Nile state saying “it is time for development.”
