Interview with Akol Aguek Ngong, One Bor Campaign Presidential Candidate
5 min readThe Bor-County USA Election: Interview with Akol Aguek Ngong, One Bor Campaign Presidential Candidate
May 23, 2015 (SSB) — In advance of the Bor-County USA election on May 24, 2015, Panther Kuol sent nine identical questions to each of three presidential candidates.
The election fever is in full mode and this weekend, the sons and daughters of Bor County are converging on Des Moines, Iowa, USA to participate in what promises to be unprecedented election in the modern history of democracy in Bor County. The pitching videos by candidates, as well as the numerous enthusiastic Facebook endorsements and commentaries by supporters and concerned citizens have raised the profile of this election. Due to the efforts invested and what is at stake, the elections are deemed to certainly generate both the feelings of euphoria and uncertainty among supporters and opponents in the campaign camps.
To shed light on each candidate’s stand on pertinent issues, Panther Kuol reached out via Facebook to the three presidential candidates namely Daniel Mabior Achiek (incumbent President), Michael Ayuen Agok and Akol Aguek Ngong. By press time, only one response had been received; the two other candidates were yet to send in their responses.
Q: What is your full name (plus traditional nicknames, if any), Payam, and State where you hail from in the USA?
My name is Akol Aguek Ngong. I am a South Sudanese citizen from Gwalla, Kolnyang Payam, Bor, Jonglei, South Sudan. I am also an American citizen and I currently reside in Burlington, Vermont, USA.
My nickname is Mourdit [literally translated as “Gigantic Bull” in dinka].
Q: Who is/are your running mate/core team members, and what was/were the criteria for choosing them?
My running mate is Ajok Atong Ajok. Ajok is a South Sudanese citizen from Biong, Baaidit Payam, Bor, Jonglei, South Sudan. Ajok is also an American citizen and he lives in Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Ajok is a Bor son who shares core values of dedication to Bor community and South Sudan. He has a wealth of leadership experience and he is an individual who can step into my position and lead our community should anything happen to me.
One Bor Campaign Manager is Aguet Kuany Aguet and he is deputized by Maker Manyang Makol. I am immensely indebted to these two individuals and indeed the entire One Bor Campaign team for their dedication to serving our community. I applaud the spirit of volunteerism in each and every individual on my team.
Q: Why did you decide to run for President of Bor-County USA?
One Bor Campaign feels there is need for change and as a team, we aspire to organize the diaspora Bor community into a cohesive community that pools resources together to rebuild itself and also help our people back home.
Q: What unique experience do you have that makes you best qualified for this position?
I am a down to earth man of Bor community from all angles of community service. Over the course of my career, I have served in various leadership positions as educator, advocate and community organizer. I deeply cherish my traditional roots; I am a singer and a dancer. I am educated in economics, politics, business, and government. I have lived the cattle camp, refugee camps, and in western world. I am connected to some of the most powerful people in the US government, media, and institution of higher learning.
Q: What is the single most important project that you intend on undertaking if elected into office, what are the potential hindrances and how to you plan on mitigating those challenges in order for your project to succeed?
If elected, my priority will be to reorganize the community into solvent entity, and liaise with our leaders back home to create stability in Bor for safe return of our people.
Q: How do you plan to engage and unite Bor-County USA membership and their sub-associations to get them to work toward common goals of mutual benefits?
I will do my utmost to discourage bickering among ourselves. I will strive to help all members to collaborate and work together for the betterment of all here in the USA and back home.
Q: If elected President, How will you finance all your promised projects?
First, I will champion membership contributions. Second, our team will reach out to raise money from our American friends.
Q: What are your policies toward friends/enemies of Bor-County? For example, what do you think is our survival mantra?
I will work for peace and harmony with our neighbors but from the position of strength and not weakness.
Q: Finally, what is your general take away from the campaign trail?
The campaign experience has shown me the best in our people. This was evident from living rooms, church pews, town halls, and conference rooms across the US where I traveled in the last 12 Months.
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