The governor of Eastern Equatoria state Louis Lobong Lojore has issued two gubernatorial decrees appointing the mayors of Torit and Kapoeta Municipal Councils.

The decrees seen by Radio Tamazuj were dated 14th January 2021 and took effect the same day.

“I Louis Lobong Lojore governor of Eastern Equatoria state do hereby issue these decrees 1/2021 for the appointment of Joseph Aye Joseph Oswaha as Mayor for Torit Municipal Council and 2/2021 for the appointment of Mr. Lokuda Elia Lonya as Mayor for Kapoeta Municipal Council,” read part of the decrees.

Responding to the appointments, the Executive Director for Eastern Vision on Rehabilitation and Development Agency or EVRDA, a civil society organization in the region Oryema Emmanuel said the appointments should have been made after the full formation of the state government.

“I know the Torit and Kapoeta Municipal Councils were under the defunct 32 state governments but we don’t know what will the new government structure decide, either to maintain them or do away with them,” the activist said.

Emmanuel added, “I wish he could have waited until the new government is formed so that the municipal council town mayor will be vetted by the new government whether it is in parliament or the council then will be appointed but now this is not very consistent with the agreement.”

For his defense, governor Lobong said, the appointment of mayors is not pegged on the peace agreement.

“The position of mayors are not part of the agreement and are not in the power-sharing deal. It means that it is left to the state governors to see what is good for them to appoint the mayors or not. These mayors were supposed to be in Nimule, Torit, and Kapoeta but we found that Nimule has not been raised into a Municipal Council, it is a town council,” governor Lobong explained.