The Families of our Elites: Serving Two Masters at Ago
6 min readBy Simon Yel Yel, Juba, South Sudan
April 19, 2015 (SSB) —- Strange things are always happening in South Sudan that leave everyone flabbergasted what the hell is going on with the families of our elites? Some families have prominent members in both the government as well as within the rebel movement. Do they want to dominate South Sudan’s politics even in the rebellion?
The recent incredible defections left people in peculiar whether this is the beginning of an end or end of the beginning of the government. We are caught in disbelief that some family members of government heavy-weights are rebelling to fight against the government of their fathers, mothers, brothers and wives.
It was late March and early this month when we witnessed the defection of Mr. Agel Riing Machar, the former youth political parties leader and leader of national youth union who is the son of national MP Hon. Adhaar Arop; the defection of Capt. Joseph Clement Wani kong’a who was an officer in the national security, and the son of Governor Clement Wani of Central Equatoria State, and the defection of Brigadier General Gatwech Puoch, the brother of Upper Nile state Governor Simon Kun Puoch, joining the rebels.
People also wonder to see the wives of some leaders who are against the government holding big positions. I will give few examples to my readers, Mrs. Angeth Acol De Dut , the undersecretary for the ministry of labour, public service and Human development is a wife of Majak Agot who is the member of G10 or ( SPLM-Uhuru); Nadia Dudi Arop whose husband is with the rebels, and Rebecca Joshua Okwachi, the wife of Dr. Lam Akol.
Is it about serving two masters at ago or what? Why there is no single statement being released to tell the public that the families in question are not part of decision taken by their members to rebel? No press statement have been released by Simon Kun Puoch to distance his family away from the decision taken by his brother or press statement by Clement Wani nor Hon. Adhar Arop to disown their sons’ decision joining the rebels and tell public that they are not happy with the decision taken by their sons to fight the government that they part of.
No statement also released by Hon. Angeth Acol to tell the public that she is not part of her husband’s decision. Am afraid that the sons, wives, husbands and even fathers or mothers of the ministers, and advisors will also rebel and still no one will question them. What a great demoCRAZY in South Sudan!
The current war against the legitimate government of South Sudan has been given different version or definitions by the people from within and outside the government. It was on 8th January this year when the governor of Central Equatoria, Hon. Clement Wani Konga, defined the ongoing rebellion of Riek Machar in his own jurisprudence literacy, telling Equatorians: “who are you going to fight, are you going to fight Dinka or Riek Machar? Equatorians should remain neutral as to be able to bring peace. Equatorians should stand for peace“ and he went further again, saying “It is only chance for the people of Equatoria coming together so as to bring to an end this war between Dinka and Nuer.”
Here we go and the question is, did the son of governor Clement Wani become Nuer for joining Riek Machar to fight Dinka? Or is he going to mediate the peace between Dinka and Nuer in Pagak? The dad will tell the readers and me.
Clement Wani also talked about the instability in Equatoria region being caused by the people who have joined Riek when he said “If Lado Gore wants to be vice president as he is now with Riek Machar, why shouldn’t he wait for elections or contest the election? If Riek Machar comes then he will be vice president without bloodshed.”
Here is the question that asks itself, what’s Konga’s advice to his ambitious son? What does he want to become? Let’s guess, he wants to become the head of internal security like Gen. Akol Kor Kuc or minister of national security in the office of the president, Gen. Obote Mamur because he is a captain in the national security and those are the highest offices in the national security.
What is your advice to your son captain Joseph Mr. Governor? Do you (Wani) know the main reason that led to defection of Alfred Lado Gore? Let me tell you because it is five (5) years from now and you might have forgotten what you did in 2010 elections. It is not his heave-ho as a Minister for Environment that made him rebel like Peter Adwok Nyaba and the rest but deeply rooted in 2010 elections.
The chief enemy of Alfred Gore is not Salva Kiir but you “Wani“ for denying him his 2010 elections victory. He doesn’t want to become vice president as you think but he wants to become governor of Central Equatoria state by all means, be it presidential decree or elections if Riek becomes president. What is your advice to your son for associating himself with your principal enemy wanting to unseat you?
The current rebellion is made up of many discontent elements wanting to achieve different goals and we have seen recently the defections of many rebels, high profile commanders and politicians to the government. Many rebels don’t have a single problem with the system of Kiir’s governance but they have problems with individuals within the government, be it national government, state, county and even Payam.
In conclusion, many top officials in the government have connection with the rebels and they always feed them with government’s plan of the day. The rebels always get news four days before SSTV announce it and it is through families who are holding big positions within the government.
Frankly speaking, there is no secret in the government that rebels don’t get and it is due to their relatives holding big positions in the high echelon of the government.
The writer can be reached at simonyel55@yahoo.com
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