Jonglei MP begs Kiir not to fire ‘energetic’ governor Chagor

A Member of Parliament (MP) from Jonglei has pleaded with President Salva Kiir not to remove State Governor Denay [pictured] Chagor amid rising resignation calls.

This comes after a group dubbed “Jonglei State Elders” allegedly met the president to lobby for the removal of Mr Chagor who took over the gubernatorial seat in 2020.

In an open letter to Kiir, Anter Bayak Kuol, a lawmaker at the State Transitional Legislative Assembly (STLA) lashed out at the group saying they did not represent the interest of the majority population in the state.

“Your excellency, it’s imperative to note that the group of so-called Jonglei State elders who went to your esteemed office on the second of February  2022, demanding the removal of energetic young leader  Hon. GOVERNOR  Denay J. Chagor,  are individuals of their own interests,” the legislator said.

He added that “Whatever they said doesn’t represent the interests and welfare of the people of Jonglei State.”

The lawmaker implied that the lobbyists were agents of Juba-based politicians whose agenda is to destabilize Jonglei State leadership and their own constituencies in which they never travelled since appointment.

He accused the group of being “jealous” of young people holding key government positions and propping propaganda to compel the national leadership to remove them.

“If the Governor didn’t appoint their relatives in the state government that becomes according to their interests. Those elders are just jealous of seeing a young energetic leader made as Governor of Jonglei State,” the MP said in the letter seen by The City Review.

“Therefore; I strongly appeal to [you] Your Excellency,  the President of the Republic of South Sudan Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, not to listen to such groups of political opportunists who call themselves  Jonglei elders,” added the lawmaker. 

Governor Chagor had come under intense in December 2021 with disgruntled civil servants calling for his resignation amid worsening working conditions.

However, by the end of the year, the workers, particularly doctors, reconciled with the governor after their challenges were addressed.