Thiik defends Juba mayor’s track record

Deputy Mayor for Physical Infrastructure, Thiik Thiik Mayardit, has rubbished some notions in the public domain that the current mayor, Michael Allah-Jabu Lado, is not as active as his predecessor.

He said the mayor was committed to the course, especially on the demolition exercise that had been started by the former Juba City Council boss, Kalisto Lado.

Thiik defended Allah-Jabu, saying his boss is not sleeping but giving time to those affected to evacuate their places for demolition.

He described such an allegation as blackmail for the mayor.

“I wanted to tell the citizens and those blackmailing [him] that the mayor is not sleeping,” he said.

“The mayor [is] awake and is working slowly but steadily,” Thiik told journalists yesterday in Kator.

He was addressing the residents of Kator about the city council plan for the second demolition in the area.

“He is doing the right job. That is why you have seen him open the roads in Kator and Hongkong. This work is for the government, not for anybody, so the mayor has started his work,” Thiik stressed.

He argued that the Juba City Council is systematically doing its work to allow the affected people to prepare themselves to relocate peacefully.

“Anybody who works greatly cannot talk a lot, but people will see by their eyes. Let people talk, but they will see the result of his work with their own eyes,” Thiik stated.

He boasted that the Juba City Council was using its equipment and not depending on hired machines.

 “We want to ensure that we deliver services to the people. We are here to serve, but not to rob the people,” he said.

On December 20, 2021, Allah-Jabu issued what he termed a final warning to street hawkers who he accused of blocking traffic in the capital.

Allah-Jabu’s warning came after several unsuccessful attempts to stop street vendors from causing traffic jumps, especially in the Custom Market.