President Salva Kiir Mayardit | File photo

A senior member of the Opposition Alliance says President Salva Kiir violated the revitalized peace agreement by appointing the governor of the central bank and two undersecretaries without consulting other parties.

One of the powers, functions, and responsibilities of the President spelled out in the revitalized peace deal is to appoint undersecretaries of ministries as proposed by the respective ministers, vetted and approved by the Council of Ministers.

It also states that the new unity government is founded on the premise that there shall be collegial collaboration in decision-making and continuous consultations within the Presidency, to ensure effective governance during the transitional period.

On the Central bank, the peace agreement says within four months upon the commencement of the Transitional Period, the President shall appoint the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan in consultation and agreement with the First Vice President and the other vice presidents.

The agreement says the Bank of South Sudan shall among other things be responsible for formulating monetary policy, promoting price stability, issuing currency, regulating the financial sector, and performing other functions conferred upon it by the law; be headed by a competent and appropriately qualified Governor.

In January this year, President Salva Kiir appointed Gamal Abdalla Wani as the Governor of Bank of South Sudan, replacing Dier Tong Ngor.

“The appointment of the leadership of the central bank, according to the agreement, should be done in consultation within the presidency,” Dr. Lam told Eye Radio in an interview on Monday.

In March, President Salva Kiir also appointed Daniel Awow as the undersecretary for the Ministry of Petroleum.

Dr. Mayen Machut was also appointed as the undersecretary for the Ministry of Health in June this year.

The appointments, according to Dr. Lam Akol violated the revitalized peace deal.

Dr. Lam, who is the chairperson of the National Democratic Movement, a signatory to the revitalized peace agreement claims that President Kiir did not consult with other parties for the appointment of officials as required by the deal.

“Then the appointment of an undersecretary is also very clear, that the minister concerned to make recommendations to the council of ministers,” he argued.

“The council of ministers vets the person or the name that has been put in front of the council. If they approve it, then the president appoints that undersecretary. So the provisions are very clear and they were not followed.”

Dr. Lam called on the SPLM to respect the provisions of the peace agreement.

In response, the Office of the President insists that observers “need to understand that President at any given point has a prerogative left for him in order to continue to be the President”.

“He cannot be equal to anybody in the agreement. This is what people should understand.

“The fact that the agreement left him as the President, he has prerogative power that he can use to appoint. So I don’t understand what the SSOA guys want to imply here.”

However, he could not cite an article in the peace accord that gives Kiir special power to ignore collegial decision-making.