The civil society organizations of South Sudan have appreciated President Salva Kiir Mayardit for reversing his decision of going back to the former ten states.
They say it was the citizens’ demand and that the appropriate number of states needed by South Sudanese can be decided later through the coming constitution.
The civil society organizations add that it is an important decision because the two leaders were not compromising.
One of the Civil Society Activists, Executive Director of Foundation for Democracy and Accountable Governance or FODAG Jame David Kolok describes the move as a ‘Welcoming Development”.
‘This is a welcoming development. We really want to thank the President for listening to the voices of South Sudanese people and also urge all the parties to take the decision that has been made to establish the government in the next seven days and move the country forward through the constitutional making process or any means that South Sudanese can be able to agree and decide on what number of states they want; what we listen today, we can say peace is back to South Sudan’, says Kolok.
Another civil society Activist, Executive Director for CEPO Edmond Yakani describes Kiir’s move as ‘remarkable and historical’ in South Sudan, advising the parties and citizens to accept the decision and remain calm.
‘I would like to congratulate the President for this remarkable, historical decision that he has made to return us to the ten states and the Abyei administrative unite; is a welcome position; Is a position that we have been calling for; the ten states is the basis of the revitalized agreement; so we should continue with it; so I appreciate and welcome back the ten states and I congratulate President Kiir for that.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Organization for Responsive Governance, Rajab Mohandis advises the parties to move forward with the other preparations.
He adds that the thirty two states were only serving the interest of politicians but not South Sudanese.
‘This is an important compromise, we expect all the parties to clear the issue of boundaries states and move forward with the final preparations. The thirty two states funds a lot of resources of the country only in taking care of politicians; and the ten states will reduce the national expenditure on jobs, political positions and these resources will be directed to services for South Sudanese’ says Mohandis.
The civil society activists call on the politicians and parties to the revitalized agreement to accept the decision taken by the President for the interest of peace.
On Friday, the South Sudan civil society organizations issued a statement, urging the government to decide and take the country to the former ten states.
The two principals have on several occasions disagreeing on the number of states, where President Kiir wanted to retain the thirty two states while Dr Riek Machar needed 23 states.