A senior labor commission official in South Sudan’s Lakes State has resigned, alleging systematic political persecution against allies of First Vice President Riek Machar, who remains under house arrest in Juba.
Majok Maluong, chairperson of the state’s Employees Justice Chamber, confirmed he submitted his resignation Tuesday to Governor Rin Tueny Mabor. He accused a rival SPLM-IO faction of collaborating with state authorities to sideline and harass loyalists of Machar.
“The reason I resigned is because most leaders who are loyal to Dr. Riek Machar are being mistreated. Some are arrested in Lakes State and the majority are dismissed or forced out of their duties,” Maluong told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday.
In April, an SPLM-IO splinter group declared an “interim leadership” under Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol, pledging to work with President Salva Kiir’s government while reaffirming commitment to the 2018 peace deal.
Maluong rejected the breakaway faction, calling it a betrayal of Machar. He alleged that state officials, aligned with Par Kuol, are pressuring public servants to switch allegiance or risk dismissal and detention.
“Governor Rin Tueny wants to reshuffle me out because I am an SPLM-IO supporter of Dr. Riek Machar,” he said, adding his resignation was also a protest against Machar’s detention, which he called politically motivated.
Machar, suspended from his post on March 26, faces treason and other charges in a special court following a militia attack that killed more than 250 soldiers. His supporters insist the case is a government-orchestrated campaign to weaken the opposition.
Neither the Lakes State government nor the SPLM-IO interim leadership has publicly responded to Maluong’s claims.
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