The Eastern Equatoria State Civil Society Network dismissed its executive body Friday and appointed an interim leadership team after accusing the former leaders of politicizing the organization and failing to hold elections.
The general assembly elected a nine-member interim committee, naming Jimmy Kilang as the new acting chairperson.
A statement issued Thursday said the previous executive’s term had expired in November 2023 without elections being conducted.
Oroma Moses, secretary-general of the interim body, said the dissolution followed the network’s constitution, which requires a new committee to be formed when a term lapses. The interim team will serve for three months—from June 20 to September 20—before elections are held.
“The interim executive will facilitate smooth operations and prepare for new elections,” Moses said, reading from the statement.
Kilang pledged to rebuild relationships between civil society groups, government agencies and U.N. partners, which he said had deteriorated under the previous leadership.
“Our ties with NGOs and U.N. agencies have been poor. We must return to serving the people, not politics,” he said.
Tereza Hillary, a network member, welcomed the change, saying the former leadership had failed to deliver services. “We need unity and a focus on helping our communities,” she said.
However, John Bush Lino, the ousted secretary-general, called the move illegal, saying only the board of directors could dissolve the executive. He accused dissenting members of trying to seize power.
“These actions are not legitimate. The board was not consulted,” he said.