By Yien Gattuor
The General Assembly of Bentiu Local Football Association has impeached the sport’s President, Gatjang Matuel over the leadership failures.
The impeachment was conducted during an extraordinary General Assembly meeting held on Tuesday when a two-thirds majority overwhelmingly voted a vote of no confidence against Mr. Matuel.
He was impeached alongside his Secretary General, Gatkuoth Nyuel, and Treasurer, Puok Matai, for deserting the office.
The assembly nominated three interim leaders, including Laat Tungwar Kuicguong as Acting President, Majuan Gatduel, Acting Secretary General and Pay Alpam Rialthin, Acting Treasurer.
The assembly blamed the former president, Secretary General and the Treasurer for working remotely in Juba, which they said had caused unprecedented operational challenges.
According to article 6 of the local unified status state that the General Assembly is authorised to call for an extraordinary General Assembly if more than half of its eligible voting members support the request.
Status non-compliance requires that an extraordinary meeting be convened within 30 days request.
Zechariah Kuol Majuet said, “They requested the president and his board for the first and second meetings, respectively, on November 28, 2024, and February 5, 2025.”
However, he said the leadership did not acknowledge their roles nor respond to their initial request.
A member of the general assembly, Lam Puok, said they applied Article 9 to impeach the leadership.
“The vote of nonconfidence was used when they were summoned, and they failed to show up. The leadership was alleged of stopped the sports tournament since last year without a genuine reason.”
Unity State is supposed to organize a tournament, but the tournament was postponed indefinitely, forcing the assembly to convene an extraordinary meeting.
Chieng Wanmau, the Deputy Secretary from Soon FC, said the absence of sports activities in the State encourages crimes and causes psychological trauma to young people.
“But when the tournament is organised, it will reduce trauma among the redundant youth who have no jobs.”
The Acting Director of Culture, Youth and Sport, Peter Puot Jiech, said the ministry has no jurisdiction over the general assembly.
He said the ministry’s role is to witness the sport committee meeting and resolutions. “If you want to remove your chairperson, it is the assembly’s constitutional choice.”
Meanwhile, Tungwar Kuicguong said the chairperson and his board have violated the constitution.
He warned that if the leadership failed, they deserved to be removed according to Article 9 without keeping sport hostage.
It is not the first time the sports officials in Unity State have been removed from office. The former president, Philip Nguon Top, was also impeached in 2022 over an alleged mismanagement of $20,000 in COVID-19 funds.
Mr. Gatjang came into leadership as Acting President in May 2022 after Philip’s impeachment. He was officially confirmed as the president in April 2023.
Unity State comprises more than 10 football clubs that play tournaments within Bentiu town apart from county tournaments.