The Governor of Western Equatoria State Alfred Futuyo has blamed the ongoing insecurity in the region on the slow pace of the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement, particularly the security arrangements.
Futuyo was briefing journalists in Juba last on the dire security situation in Tombura County which has seen many people fleeing their homes while others were killed.
The governor said the delayed implementation of the security arrangements has caused the defection of forces from the government to the opposition and vice versa. This, he said, has made it difficult for the leadership to command forces that have not yet been unified.
The Revitalised Government of National Unity deployed thousands of forces drawn from both the government and opposition sides to different cantonment centres.
But it has been more than one year since the deployment. The forces were neglected with no basic needs given. The lack of food and medication, in particular, forced many to leave the training centres.
No to centres of power
Futuyo said the problem cannot be addressed when the country remains under three Commanders-in-Chief that come from SPLM –IG who is President Slava Kiir, SPLA-IO –Dr. Riek Machar and from SSOA Josphine Lagu Yanga.
“We have three commanders-In-Chief. You cannot find groups of forces with different Commanders-in-Chief in any country. We are supposed to have only one Commander-in-Chief who is President Salva Kiir but because we don’t have an integrated army in the country that is why we have more than three Commander-in-Chief and it is a problem for the security of this nation,” Futiyo told journalists.
He added that: “I called a team from the national security and the United Nations to investigate the killing and raping taking place, especially in Tombura. Those responsible will be brought to book. As I talk five suspects have been arrested and they are in the custody,” he added.
Futuyo claimed last week that the suspects arrested belong to Maj. Gen. Nado William. Nado denied the claim saying he came to Juba last year in July 2020 and he does not have any armed forces killing and raping women in Tombura.
According to the Governor before his governorship, there has been killing in Tombura and Yambio.
“I was born in Yambio grown up there and went to school and I became Governor in Yambio in 2007 killing of civilians by the rebel was there,” he said. “I went to the bush to save my people because LRA was a problem and when I was in the bush I did not kill anybody that is why I became the Governor of Western Equatoria State,” said Futuyo.