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By Peter Gai Manyuon
August 19, 2013 (SSNA) — Since the inception and establishment of the government of Southern Sudan in 2005 when Dr John Garang De Mabior signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and afterward Taban Deng Gai was given the task to rule the State up to the time when the general elections were conducted in 2010 and eventually Taban became the winner even though people were having doubts about his victory; he rules for the last eight years that make most of the Unity state Citizens having a lots of disputes with the Governor until the time, he was removed on the 7th Sunday July 2013 eventually by the President of the Republic of South Sudan ,General Salva Kiir Mayardit that appointed the current Caretaker Nguen Munytuil that when ahead immediately to the state and set up his government which is becoming most critical due to many reasons beyond the obvious among the Unity State officials and citizens.
Furthermore, Nguen Munytuil was having the vision to lead the people of Unity State since 2008 where he defeated comrade Taban Deng from the Sudan Liberation Movement (SPLM) State Chairmanship, people by then were having many hopes and aspirations about him because he sometimes before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was sign in Naivasha Kenya, he was once time a Governor under the whole Sudan where he was reporting to the most dictator Bashier, the most notorious person on earth ever.
Subsequently, he was removed and Taban become the Governor until he was removed again and Munytuil was brought back by the President using the Republican Decree that did not spell out clearly the reason behind the removal of Deng Gai , most of the people in Unity State begun to have hopes and aspirations about the newly appoint caretaker Governor, to testify this was how he was welcome in the state capital Bentiu where he was welcomed by many people that line up from the airport up to the state headquarter. And after some few days, most people of unity state have viewed it as the state of the two gentlemen because they were the only people that rotate in the same seat isolating the rests of the most educated and visionary people, which makes it so complex and ambiguous beyond the reasonable doubts and expectations among the people of Bentiu.
However, after some two weeks when he was given the mandate, people start realizing what he was trying to do as the person, first of all, he appointed the cabinets comprises of many people who were with him in 2008 during the Sudan Liberation Movement (SPLM) convention in the state, he brought in most of the people who were with him during that time, leaving his mandate that was given to him by the President of the Republic, because he was supposed to make the consultations properly on who to come and who should not with the communities who are on the grassroots because they are the back born of the state . Some people begun wondering beyond reasonable doubts that Munytuil is trying to please the people who were with him in his campaign in 2008 but I cannot mention because all unity state people are aware about that beyond the circumstances.
Furthermore, after some days he removed some of the Commissioners from four counties especially from Mayendit, Guit, Parieng and Rukona, where at first the communities send some names to him where he can choose the best person out of many, he eventually appointed the people who were supporting him by that time that make people to viewed him as someone who has come to do what he did not did to his supporters by then. Then people waited again and again, after some days, he appointed State advisors where he brought in people who were with him in the 2008 and more so, he increased the number of advisors more than the National advisors and people begun wondering who gave him the advices because a President cannot tell him to set up the government with too many advisors that might need good budget in the state and even at national level as well.
And more so, on Sunday 18th of August 2013 he also issued another decree relieving some of the Counties Commissioners like Koch County and Payinjiar County, the most County that is behind in term of Communications network, security and roads that can connect it to the state headquarter respectively. And when I viewed at his decree, i find that the people who were recommended by the communities to him, he leave them and he bring in people that were in his camp by then ,people begun asking whether he has forgot his mandate that was given to him by the President of the Republic of South Sudan or not? Some people had begun asking whether he will continue making his policies like that or reserve them in due time.
Ideally and logically, when you look in to the current political situation of the Unity State, you find that, it might be worse and worsen then before due to the following reasons;
First point is that, the people who were lobbying with him in Juba, most of them are not in his current cabinets, because he brought in people who were with him in 2008 not the people who were with him when they were struggling in Juba moving from President Office at all times. Most of his supporters have lost hope and aspirations in him, and more so that might affect his leadership in the State in 2015 coming unless otherwise he is not hoping to be elected democratically by the citizen.
Secondly, the President of Republic of South Sudan appointed Munytuil in order for him to do the needful to the entire citizen of Unity State by consulting them on the relevant issues that might help the nation to prosper like making states relations in South Sudan with the nearest states like Warrap State and Lake respectively, since the issue of cattle raiding had become most of the critical point in South Sudan, he was supposed to appoint people who can help him in term of security and maintaining the dignity of the people of Unity State then individual interest.
Thirdly, President of South Sudan appointed him based on many things that might not be mentioned because I assumed that each and every one knows about them and one of which is the security issue with other states which I don’t think will be achieved at this particular period of time since there are many issues that need attention.
Analytical point of view, people of Unity state have begun wondering whether the current caretaker governor will be given another days apart from the sixty days (60) as per the Constitution is concern in South Sudan even though sometimes people are going contrary to the issues relating to the Constitution which is the supremacy legal document of the people of South Sudan, I think if the caretaker Governor does not change his ways of doing things President might reverse his decree that might surprise people once again, because most of the people are not happy with how he is doing or setting up his Government at this particular period of time. Mind you, this time is the time of making peace and harmony to the people of South Sudan not the time of pleasing people who were with you because the time for elections is waiting for people a head.
To me, it was supposed to be good for him to bring in people who were with him by then in the year of 2015 and this time around ,he was supposed to mix up his cabinets to avoid controversies that might take back the people of unity state to square one, because by that time no one can question him because he might be elect by the people of Unity state, because most people were having hopes about him but right now, he is trying to spoil his repetition as the person, which I don’t want because I want him to be good person then other people who rule the state sometimes back.
Conclusively; my advices to the caretaker Governor of Unity State is that, he should look forward not backward because people of Unity state, might give him another chance in 2015, if he follow his way of making politics systematically in the state not diverting from the realities and approaches, because if he does not observe that, he might just rule for this only one year and half, if the elections will not be organized base on issues that our government always talked about in South Sudan Context. I thought it was a good time for him, to make his strategies and policies about the coming general elections that are almost knocking, just matter of some days and months and one of the best way was for him to treat people equally by observing people opinions and aspirations, through visiting all the Counties in Unity State so that he can see people needs and recommendations first before forming his government, that is rising a lots of questions.
Now he does not know people wishes and aspirations in the grassroots level, and it is those very people who determined the leadership of the government in the state because they are the decisions makers and voters.
The author is the Independent Journalist who writes as the Columnist, you can contact him through;[email protected]