Joseph Monytuil, former governor of Unity State. Photo Credit: Office of the Governor-Unity State, Facebook Page
President Kiir sacked his long-time affiliate, the Governor of the oil-rich Unity State, Joseph Monytuil, and appointed Hon. Riek Riam Tap as his replacement on Monday, 20 May.
In a separate republican decree announced on the state-owned, South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation [SSBC], President Kiir also fired the Chief Administrator of Ruweng Administrative Area, Stefanos Wieu Malek, and appointed Hon. Chop De Monyluak as the new chief administrator of Ruweng Administrative Area.
Governor Monytuil was first appointed as the caretaker governor of Unity State in 2013 following the outbreak of civil war in the country, replacing the then renegade Taban Deng Gai, who is now the vice president in charge of the infrastructure in the transitional government of national unity formed after the signing of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
The oil-rich Unity State has been suffering under development, starvation, and devastating floods causing massive displacement of the civil population from their homes.
In April 2023, a United Nations-backed panel of investigators and the United States slapped sanctions on Joseph Monytuil, accusing him of perpetrating gross violations of human rights as well as other senior government and military officials.
Joseph Monytuil and Koch County Commissioner Gordon Koang [both sanctioned by the UN and United States] were accused of playing a role in attacks against civilians in the town of Leer in February and April 2022.
In August 2022, Joseph Monytuil allegedly ordered the execution of three people accused of supporting the armed group allied to Stephen Buoy Rolnyang. The action drew wide condemnation from the national and international civil rights organizations.
Golden Times | South Sudan
