President Salva Kiir speaks at a past function | Credit | Eye Radio

The political momentum has eroded after President Salva Kiir locked the opposition out of the government’s decision-making process, UN Panel of Experts on South Sudan has said.

“Within his coalition, the President has turned to the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Nhial Deng Nhial, to counter the security primacy of the Director General of the Internal Security Bureau of the National Security Service, Lieutenant General Akol Koor Kuc,” partly reads a report.

However, the deal 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.

Since the formation of the presidency in February, key accountability measures, including the Hybrid Court, have not been implemented.

This has been attributed to political and security disputes within the peace presidency, stalling implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.

In the report presented to the UN Security Council on Wednesday last week, the panel says this has led to abuse of human rights.

It notes that SSPDF and SPLA-IO have continued to commit serious human rights violations against civilians.

The experts told the council that it has also led to conflicts that have killed and displaced civilians in Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.

Other area the disputes between President Salva Kiir and first vice president Dr. Riek Machar have affected is Warrap State.

“In Warrap, during the politically motivated disarmament campaign conducted by SSPDF, Lieutenant General Rin Tueny Mabor Deng commanded forces that killed 85 civilians and displaced thousands,” partly reads the report.

In addition, they observed that amid the inaction in the implementation of the peace agreement, the chains of command of armed groups have fragmented, and some units have prepared to return to conflict.

“Since February, some SPLA-IO commanders have defected with their soldiers to SSPDF, which has sparked conflict in Central Equatoria and Upper Nile,” it continues.

The Panel recommends that the Committee impose targeted sanctions on military leaders who have obstructed activities of international peacekeeping and diplomatic missions, as well as the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid.

It urged the Security Council to call on the government and the AU to confirm whether the memorandum of understanding has been signed and to publish the Hybrid Court´s statute and a detailed plan of action to implement it.