Kiir has the authority to appoint and remove anybody he sees fit, Ateny roared in defense of the recent appointment of Mayiik

In defense of the recent appointment of Mayiik Ayii, the Press Secretary in the President’s Office, Ateny Wek Ateny, stated that the president is the head of state and has the authority to appoint and remove anyone he sees fit.

He went on to say that when the president comes back to appoint the person; it is because the president has better information that gives him confidence that the person he relieved the last time was relieved based on the information at the time, but now there is new information that led the president to appoint the same person. “We’re all human.” the presidential spokesman added

On Thursday, Mayiik Ayii was appointed to replace Beatrice Khamisa Wani. His return to the government has sparked outrage among citizens, who claim Mayiik was fired from the presidency last year due to an alleged corruption scandal.

President Kiir appointed Mayiik as Minister of Presidential Affairs in February 2020.

He was fired in June of last year because of the “poor manner” in which the Juba-Rumbek Road was being built, according to Kiir.

“My brother Mayiik had no issues with me, but there was one issue: the road to Bar-el-Gazal. “The company that we contracted was Shandong High Speed; how did it come to be Shandong Nile Investment, that was the problem,” President Kiir says at the statehouse days after firing Mayiik in 2020.

“The road got off to a shaky start. It is only that he is not here, and he would have answered if he had anything to say, that one rain destroyed it all.”

Members of the public were reportedly taken aback by Mayiik’s reappointment.

Others told Eye Radio that following the President’s allegations, Mayiik was not given the opportunity to clear his name.

Mayiik oversaw the construction of the Juba-Rumbek highway, which was funded by crude oil.

However, heavy rains washed away a section of the road, prompting the government to demand a redesign.