Alongside President Matuel, Secretary General Gatkuoth Nyuel and Treasurer Puok Matai were also impeached. The trio was accused of abandoning their roles and failing to operate from Bentiu, instead running operations remotely from Juba. Their absence reportedly led to widespread administrative and operational challenges, paralyzing football activities across Unity State.
To stabilize the leadership, the assembly immediately appointed interim leaders to oversee the association. Laat Tungwar Kuicguong was named Acting President, with Majuan Gatduel as Acting Secretary General and Pay Alpam Rialthin as Acting Treasurer. The interim officials are expected to restore order and revive local football tournaments that have stalled under the previous leadership.
Assembly members justified their decision by pointing to repeated violations of the association’s constitution. They said multiple meeting requests were ignored by the ousted board. According to Zechariah Kuol Majuet, formal meetings were requested on November 28, 2024, and again on February 5, 2025. Both were disregarded, prompting the assembly to invoke Article 9 to justify the impeachment.
Members of the football community expressed frustration over the halt of sporting events, particularly a postponed state tournament. Lam Puok, a member of the assembly, noted that the leadership had failed to provide any valid reason for the suspension of sports activities. He added that the leadership’s failure to respond to official summons was a direct violation of the rules guiding the association.
Community leaders stressed the impact of prolonged sports inactivity on local youth. Chieng Wanmau, Deputy Secretary of Soon FC, warned that the absence of regular football tournaments had left many young people idle and vulnerable to crime. He emphasized that organizing tournaments could offer psychological relief and meaningful engagement for unemployed youth.
Acting Director of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Peter Puot Jiech, clarified that while the ministry does not have authority over internal assembly decisions, it supports resolutions made by the sport committee. Meanwhile, newly appointed Acting President Tungwar Kuicguong said the removal of the former leadership was necessary to protect the integrity of football in the region, affirming that no one should hold the sport hostage through incompetence or constitutional violations.
This is not the first time Unity State’s football leadership has faced turmoil. Former president Philip Nguon Top was impeached in 2022 over alleged mismanagement of COVID-19 relief funds. Gatjang Matuel, who succeeded him, was initially appointed as acting president in May 2022 and confirmed in April 2023. Unity State hosts over ten football clubs, primarily competing in Bentiu town, with additional tournaments in surrounding counties.
