RealPolitik: Great Debate between Dr. Peter Wankomo and Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba
Dr. Peter Wankomo (Chief Editor of SouthSudanNation.com)
South Sudanese have been and are continuously being cheated, yes…. horribly being screwed by these unrepentant and unscrupulous gangsters who by their very role in the ‘Liberation’ have presumed the title of leaders of the nation in the ruling SPLM/A.
This is no exaggeration but a true expression by most South Sudanese of their current disgruntlement as there is palpably widespread anger in the country.
The entire SPLM/A Movement is now regretfully being remembered these days more for its awful inequities and scandals than for its now-fast-fading-from-memory heroic liberation struggle achievements.
After months of political infighting and instability, Dr. Riek Machar, the dismissed vice president, has unfortunately reared hishead, once again, as the contender amongst the gang vying against current president, Kiir Mayardit, for the SPLM leadership.
Without any doubt, Machar and gang are nothing but opportunistic and myopic hypocrites who think that they can just easily exonerate themselves of the horrible failures of the SPLM and shamelessly stand up as the ‘new saviors’ of the nation.
As leader of the gang of disappointed kicked-in-the-butt victims of Kiir’s decrees, Machar’s own complicitous political criminality over the last eight years in the failed and murderous government under the once-adored Kiir, doesn’t justify his pretentious re-incarnation.
These people, Machar, Nyandeng, Pagan, Lado Gore, Deng Alor (I thought he is in prison by now, remember the fire equipment scandal?) and all, while serving as ministers, governors or top party bosses, actively and conscientiously abetted their very nemesis, president Kiir, in the absolute misrule of South Sudan.
Let’s be serious, all ye ‘comraiders’ of the SPLM: who amongst you ever raised your feeble voices against Kiir just one time when you were all malevolently enjoying the raping of the nation as ministers or as SPLM SG or top generals at Bilpham?
With the rare uniqueness of the likes of Lawyer Peter Sule or Professor Nyamlele Wako, who amongst you, ye SPLM/A money lovers and political prostitutes, had the balls to confront Kiir when he blackmailed you in the list of 75?
Now, since we all unanimously accept that President Kiir and the entire SPLM/A have completely failed the nation’s governance, services delivery and security, among many failures, the question being frequently asked is what was Vice-President Machar doing all those long years as things were ‘falling apart’ in the GOSS?
Moreover, as we sadly remember slain patriot, Isaiah Abraham on his blatant state-sponsored assassination, what did Machar, the now-holier-than-Kiir, or any in the gang do to bring those allegedly apprehended suspects to trial or in the well-publicised murder case of Engineer Lewis allegedly by the Major-General Marial Jok of CID, why has he evaded justice and all ye ‘comraiders’ did nothing?
Again, when the 4-billion dollar scandal was revealed by none other than president Kiir himself, what did Machar do to expedite the recovery or prosecution of the thieves of the peoples’ money by his own SPLM/A ‘comraiders‘?
Incidentally, wasn’t it the same Machar who on a visit to the USA strenuously refuted that it was less than 4 billions that might have been stolen by his own ‘comraiders?’
Come on, ye ‘comraiders’ of the SPLM/A, sincerely speaking, none of you has the moral compass or personal integrity or simplest humility to stand up and challenge Kiir since you are all collectively the same despicable rot that is surely and expeditiously killing our nation.
Machar was one time the minister in charge of the Juba Power, but after eight years, Juba is a village with no light or piped water…what an absolute debacle.
Nyandeng was once minister of communications in charge of roads building but was kicked out after dismal failure……still potholes on the roads in Juba and non-existent roads in the rest of the country…. but perhaps not surprisingly, she is questionably excelling only in her own family businesses.
Would it not have been more sensible and patriotic if she had built her schools in her own restless and depraved Jonglei state for those martyrs’ children whose fathers were first coerced by her husband into the SPLM/A in 1983 instead of her educating the progenies of the SPLM/A thieves and the aliens in Juba?
In all frankness, the biggest question that must be asked again and again is how CLEANER is Machar or any and all in the SPLM/A rot in comparison to the already and allegedly corrupted and failed Kiir?
If anything, all preponderating evidence indisputably reveals that Machar himself is seriously a close or perhaps even a better contender to Kiir himself as allegedly being one of the richest personalities in the country.
In fact, the SPLM/A is now an exceptional club of dollar multi-millionaires who’ve became very rich in a record short time unimaginable, including many of those Machar ‘comraiders’ now posturing as saviours of a nation they have collectively and rapaciously gang-raped.
The evidence is all there in Juba: the multi-storied buildings, hotels, banks, V-8′s and businesses they own and/or in collaboration with their criminal partners from the Arab Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Africa, Gulf Arabs, just name any…..
Furthermore, so many egregious crimes have been commissioned and committed by the combined Kiir-Machar regime in the eight years of their callous and untenable collaboration that should utterly negate Machar’s acclaimed innocence in the rotten system.
Today, the freedom we had yearned for and millions had died for over the many decades, is quickly dissipating, along with the vision of Garang.
More citizens are now wallowing in utter state of depravity and state of insecurity even in Juba, now the leading murder capital of the nation, whose scared men and women at night would rather defecate and piss in cans in the bedroom for fear of being killed going outside to the toilet.
In all frankness, the problem of our country is the entire ruling SPLM party which admittedly has lost and subverted the vision and goal of the liberation war.
As Frantz Fanon et al, stated on Africa, “that independence represented the capture of the State by local political elites who then used power to accumulate wealth.”
Questionably, this party, the SPLM/A, duplicitiously and criminally accorded itself millions from the national treasury as if it was their divine right.
Today, the SPLM/A party is sinfully and literally living off the blood of the cheated people of South Sudan, with thousands in the party machinery being paid by money looted from nation it has unforgivably immiserated.
Inevitably, whilst the SPLM/A is now on a self-destructive course and sooner rather than later, it’s going to self-implode with dire and fatal consequences for the country.
Interestingly, Machar has this eight-year cyclical leadership paranoia, an obsessive mental delusion that’s exaggerated by self-importance and presumption of leadership entitlement and posturing as if something divined unto him.
First, after exactly eight years of SPLM/A founding in 1983 under Garang’s leadership, the impatient and tired of waiting Machar, launched the infamous 1991 Split in the Movement that led to gross patricide and devastating retardation and fracturing of the SPLM/A.
Now again, it’s exactly eight years since 2005 when Kiir became President and SPLM/A leader, and now Machar is itching in his paranoid delusion for the leadership, as if predestined by some powers above, by leading a revolt against Kiir to become, by any means possible, the nation’s president.
There is cause for trepidation in the nation as the SPLM/A is facing a possible splinter and deadly revolt, once again, that might possibly torpedo our country into another repeat of tribal war of cataclysmic proportion.
Whether for Machar, Kiir, Pagan, Nyandeng or the entire SPLM/A rot, let’s pray no innocent blood be spilt again for the devilish ambitions of political reincarnation of these rotten SPLM/A personalities. END
Adwok Nyaba’s response to Dr. Peter Wankomo
Dear Peter,
I had expected the Editorial to chart a direction. Not all the heavy words you used put together will change the volatile political environment that is emerging in South Sudan. We need something concrete, tangible and perceivable by our people. Dr. Mansour Khaled some years back wrote “the Government they deserve” that was immediately before the demise of the May regime. Mansour and others tried then to put right the faltering May regime. Looking back at what is unfolding today in South Sudan, I would say the same that we, as South Sudanese deserve the government we now have. Why?
The political climate obtaining now has always been the same. We cannot dichotomize between now 2013 and the beginning of the SPLM in 1983, the aftermath of Yei crisis 2004 or following the tragic death of Dr. John Garang de Mabior 2005. The political elite or the common person on the streets in South Sudan have always behaved and reacted in the same way conforming to the status quo. People complain and indeed agonize, like this editorial, but nobody makes a departure by way of a counter organization suggesting that they can put up with their government bad as it may be.
Transposing this on our context, in the absence of any meaningful alternative political party, the change of necessity must come from within the SPLM whether or not the drivers are devils or angels. That is why I disagree with you because you seem to suggest in the barrage of negative adjectives that anybody who participated in SPLM government is incapable to initiating a process leading to transformation of the oppressive condition obtaining in South Sudan. Revolutions are started and driven by those who have been involved in the oppressive regime. By virtue of their intimate knowledge and interaction with it they kick start the process. Neither the passive one nor the absentees can alter what is going on in South Sudan.
I believe that Riek Machar’s Press Statement, which punctuates this political drudgery of agony, is better than the deceptive political calm that has characterised South Sudan since July 23rd when President Salva Kiir decreed the changes in government. We can reject the initiative launched by those who were part of the rut or stasis. That is the dynamics of life and politics. The NCP thugs have turned round and the ones running the show in the SPLM, because the SPLM leaders and cadres have since 2005 following the tragic death of Dr. John Garang been fighting themselves, blocking and short changing each other in the contest for power, influence and wealth. Many people did not see what was going on in the SPLM or decided to ignore it because they were more focused on the exercise of the right to self-determination and the referendum for independence.
The SPLM internal crises have now come into the open and nobody can afford to be indifferent as to be blaming or complaining. Whether we like it or not it is our common obligation to put things right. As I said earlier, those who think they will pick up the pieces are deceiving themselves because there will be no pieces. We should strive to put the SPLM on its feet in order to put South Sudan on the right track of nation building and state building. It is in this context that I supported the call to begin the political discourse within the SPLM.
It is the SPLM to clean its mess, reverse the trend towards ethnicization of politics in South Sudan and repair the social capital that bounded our people for centuries, which the war and conflict disrupted. It is therefore imperative to revitalize the SPLM through re-organization and institutionalization of its relationships. This is the only way to prevent the emergence of dictatorship. Kind regards
Peter Adwok Nyaba
Dr. Peter Wankomo’s Response to Adwok Nyaba
THANK YOU, DR. PETER A. NYABA. RESPECTFULLY, MY CONCERN AS OF MANY OTHERS IS WHY ARE YOU GUYS STICKING WITH THE SPLM?
IN THE SPIRIT AND DETERMINATION OF ENGENDERING DEMOCRACY, WHY NOT YOU AND THE REST BREAK AWAY AND FORM A SEPARATE PARTY, WITH A NEWER NAME THAT WOULD QUICKLY GARNER WIDER, NON-TRIBAL POPULAR SUPPORT?
IN KENYA, MWAI KIBAKI DIVERGED FROM KANU AND FORMED A NEW PARTY AND NOW EVEN BABY BOY, UHURU KENYATTA DIDN’T REGENERATE HIS DAD’S KANU THAT BROUGHT KENYA’S INDEPENDENCE LIKE THE NOW DEARLY TOO-DEFORMED-TO-REFORM SPLM YOU ARE STICKING WITH.
THAT IS MY DIGRESSION. PETER
Dear Dr. Adwok Nyaba,
You guys have no credibility whatsoever. The three of you were serving the president and when you were kicked out, you start complaining within a short period of time that the system under which you served is rotten to the core. Did the SPLM lose vision and direction after you guys were fired? Who do you guys think will buy your cheap propaganda?
If the SPLM party lost vision and direction since 2005 as you claimed, the best course of action would have been to dissociate yourself from that evil system. Or one would have resigned as a minister and speak out clearly as to why he cannot be part of the corrupt system.
Instead, you, Deng Alor and Dr. Riek accepted your respective appointments and kept quiet, even after you have creditable knowledge about the endemic corruption. And now you want us to believe you!! Why did not you quit as ministers and vice president?
If the SPLM is “too deformed to be reformed”, just to borrow from late Dr. Garang, then quit and form a different political party as suggested by the editor. In fact what is needed is a creditable opposition party not the one like SPLM-DC obsessed with promotion of Luoism.
Unfortunately none of you had the courage and commitment to do that. Instead you are looking for ways to get back into the system to enrich yourselves. if there is any lesson that can be learnt and which have parallel to what is unfolding now in south Sudan and within the SPLM party, it is the 1991 lesson which Dr. Machar seem to not remember any more.
Any politician who intends to incite violence, tribal or otherwise should know that the ICC is waiting for him!!!! The SPLA/M—Nasir faction to which you belonged did not achieve anything except the shameful Khartoum peace agreement which was put into the dust bin of Sudan history. And as you recalled, you guys came back humiliated to the very dictator, Dr. Garang you rebelled against, and after the loss of 500,000 lives on both sides. Now you want to line up behind that wolf in the name of democracy and human rights for which he has no records. What a world we live in!!!!
Thanks,
Jay Johnson
Dear Peter Adwok Nyaba,
Some of us are baffled and dispirited in the way things are run in our country. Although ¾ of SPLM senior members fought collectively to earn us a country we call home today, they have created a clutter of smelly untidiness that makes one think of what the former Ghanaian president Mr Jerry J Rawlings did.
In 1979, Jerry Rawlings felt that his country was sinking deeper and deeper into crises when took matters to his own hands. He said “there are too many godfathers in this country, if they don’t die the country will not prosper”. He led a coup in that year and executed all those he called godfathers as a way to clean up the mess, he then handed over the power in three months. I am not saying this needs to happen in South Sudan, it just indicates the level of frustration among South Sudanese.
Our country is on the verge of being the laughter of the world, it has been eight long years since we assumed the full responsibility of managing our own affairs. However, we are yet to have a proper functioning institution, we are the only country in the world where a minister can sign a contract without a witness and release the money before he can verify whether or not the contractor actually has a business that the contract is based upon, let alone seeing the goods or services being performed first. They are now the one claiming sainthood, what a joke.
Dear editor (Dr. Peter), you have said it all, if they think that they are better or qualified than president Kiir, then they are saboteurs. I am gratified that Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba is reading this. As per names published on Sudan Tribune, one can only asked a question, what precludes these people to perform to their utmost capacity to deliver the services to the people of South Sudan when they were part of the cabinet?
We all know that Riek Machar used to set the cabinet agendas and share the meetings until the mid of 2012, isn’t he a part of the shambles?
In 2008, Pagan Amum announced the nationwide SPLM secretariat election, the aim of that election to this day is still unknown to many because after the election, the incumbent secretariat refused to relinquish the offices but Pagan failed to correct it. Intrinsically, it created power struggle in states’ SPLM members. The $30 million scandal between him and the other big thief Mr Akuin Chol is yet to be settled.
Deng Alor was able to shamelessly embezzle huge chunk of taxpayer’s money in the disguise of fire-fighting equipment purchase, thank God he was caught. Let us assume that Riek Machar will win the presidency and as the depiction of their press conference suggests, Deng Alor would get a ministerial position. What on earth can he deliver if he becomes a minister again?
When Salva Kiir sacked him [that is Deng Alor], the likes of Riek and Pagan called it a “politically motivated” decision, really? If either Riek or Pagan was a president and the scandal of that kind occurred in their watch, what would they do? Leave him alone? God must be crazy.
John Luk did nothing in the justice ministry, the $4 billion and 75 individuals who are supposed to answer some questions in regard to the despicable disappearance of that huge money are yet to appear before the court, there is absolutely no legal framework in the country as we speak.
Dr Peter Adwok Nyaba was able to close down all colleges in the country but failed to reopen them. Teachers are paid 300 pounds or less, lecturers are paid less money than members of national assembly (some of whom bemusedly cannot write their names). Isn’t it a job of a minister to draft and introduce the bill to the parliament for scrutiny, if so what prevented the then minister of education to propose the increase of teachers’ salaries to at least 500 SSP?
How can national universities stay close for nearly one year? Majority of government schools are currently still run under trees, three quarters of teachers in government schools only have high school certificates and no teacher’s training whatsoever.
Rebbeca Nyandeng is just part of the crowd, she has nothing to offer. Judging by his initial refusal for the position of the deputy defense minister in the previous reshuffling, Majak Agot is just looking for a ministerial position. He is someone full of empty pride.
Gier Chuang never managed to build a single bridge. As the Editor suggested, Riek and his group should form their own party and try to sell their case to South Sudanese people if they are really confident of themselves.
Alternatively, since they are members of the parliament, they should just be more proactive in the parliament and run the nation from there. If the parliament was able to reject the president’s nominees, they can surely reject some other actions by the president.
Thanks,
Agok Takpiny
Dr. Peter Adwok Nyaba,
You said and I quote that “anybody familiar with internal party discipline and cabinet code of conduct will know why some of us including Dr. Riek Machar are speaking out. Those who think we are speaking out because we have been dismissed from government positions may have their opinions but I believe the principle of collective responsibilityprevents members of the cabinet to divulge cabinet proceedings”.
I think it is safe to say that the “principle of collective responsibility” that prevented you from speaking out when you were in the government is more important to you personally than fighting corruption or defending moral virtues! If your ministerial position at the time was more valuable than defending moral virtues, how could you convince the people of South Sudan that you can fight against corruption now after being removed from a Ministerial position? If at all you are worthy of being taken serious, one may wonder how the “principle of collective responsibility” you talked about could trump moral virtues at the time you were a Minister because a genuine moral leader cannot hide corruption and keep quiet in the name of “principle of collective responsibility”.
Can Nelson Mandela keep quiet in the name of the “principle of collective responsibility” that you are now using to justify the reason why you didn’t complain when you were a Minister? Oh poor Adwok Nyaba, whom are you going to deceive in this world? Maybe somebody from Scotland can believe you. But I don’t think South Sudanese would support 75 corruption lords pretending as “reformers”.
If Peter Adwok Nyaba could keep quiet at the time he was milking the cow, who is going to believe him now after his removal? If “principle of collective responsibility” prevented you from speaking out when you were a Minister, it follows logically that you would defend Deng Alor who had stolen $ 8 million dollars in the name of “collective responsibility” because you would not want to expose your fellow corruption lords who are now pretending as “reformers”.
I am very glad to hear from you that “principle of collective responsibility” prevented you from speaking out when you were a Minister because the same principle will also guide you to defend somebody like Deng Alor and Pagan Amum, who is under investigation for looting SPLM’s bank account.
Since your new friends are the 75 corrupt officials President Kiir named in a letter, nobody would have any doubt that you will defend them because of “principle of collective responsibility”. How could you turn against Deng Alor for stealing $8 million dollars if the “principle of collective responsibility” prevented you from speaking out against him when you were a Minister? Logic dictates that the same principle obliges you to defend a thief who is currently on your side!!!!!!!!!!!
In your previous responses, you said that a revolution must take place whether it is brought by a devil or Angel. To call a spade a spade, the leader of your team is the same devil who stared 1991 war. That means that your revolution would be brought about via violence. If that is the case, one may ask you how the disabled, elderly, women and children in Juba would run for their lives should there be a war. Since you have a V-8 Land Cruiser to use to get away, what about the disabled SPLA veterans in Juba who don’t have cars?
If your position is war, I would like to tell you that the people of South Sudan do not want war because the disabled veterans would have no means to run to safety. If Dukeson’s treatment is the only way to bring peace, we will pursue it (I think you know Gatkuoth Dup nicknamed Dukeson who beat you and threw you over the fence because you disturbed the party in Malakal in 1960s). There are many Dukesons in South Sudan who can take care of you!!!!
Gordon Buay
The Genius of Dr. John Garang: The Essential Writings and Speeches of the Late SPLM/A’s Leader, Dr. John Garang… by PaanLuel Wël (Nov 15, 2013)
The Genius of Dr. John Garang: Letters and Radio Messages of the Late SPLM/A’s Leader, Dr. John Garang de Mabioor… by PaanLuel Wël (Nov 27, 2013)
Dear South Sudanese,
The people of South Sudan have spoken. These guys who are trying to remodel themselves to be the acceptable face of the SPLM have been for 8 years a part of the system that has destroyed our fledgling nation. They negotiated a CPA that was based on only two principles: power sharing and wealth sharing. The CPA was totally devoid of any moral values. True to the only objectives known to them, the nation has been raped without mercy. Our national resources have been looted to an unprecedented proportion and our people have terrorized to the extend that indeed at night people prefer to defecate in tins in their houses than to venture to outside latrines! what a national scandal! One wonders if these people who are proud to remain SPLM are really human.
True when people are dehumanized to this extent in their own motherland won through blood and sweat, then to redeem them a change is needed. We are now at a critical juncture and the questions which must be asked are what sort of changes are we seeking? And most importantly who should bring about these changes. How should these changes be brought about? Do we just want changes of personalities or are we seeking for fundamental changes in vision, objectives and values that will move this country forward not just to win the next elections but to lay a foundation for national building for generations to come.
These re-branded SPLM generals once senior ministers, who’ve now declared their intentions to change the system they helped to build have a difficult task to persuade the electorates of their suitability and fitness for purpose. Because most of them if not all, have all participated in the crimes they have narrated. Who amongst them is not one of the 75? Who amongst them has not promoted tribalism when in office? Who amongst them did their best to establish ministries that are fit to deliver the services that have been promised to our people? Who amongst them stood up for social justice and justice for individuals and families that were wronged or murdered by the state?
If they can answer these questions and look the people of South Sudan in the eye and confess their sins and above all denounce the evils that they and their party introduced into South Sudan, then perhaps the people may forgive them.
But my fear is that these guys have not sufficiently shed off their SPLM robes and given the slightest opportunity would drift back into the business of corruption, nepotism, tribalism and under developing the country as usual. I am further concerned that most of them do not mean what they preach. If for any reason, Kiir offers them positions in government, they will switch sides, they always do.
What is therefore really needed if they are to be believed is for the to have the courage to have a clean break from the SPLM. It is difficult to start anything but it’s not impossible as long as you have the right vision and most importantly the right motives. We often falter because our visions are wrong and our motives are short sighted.
This is necessary because everything about the SPLM from the name and its objectives if any are defunct. We are now South Sudan and there is no Sudan to be liberated. I know most of these generals are morally bankrupt but with supposed men of letters amongst them are they also intellectual dwarfs.
Come on guys, show us your mantel. We need men and women who have the courage like Nelson Mandela who can take a stand and say: these are my political ideals…. for which I am prepared to die. It means fighting for a cause without expecting to become the leader. It also means once you have become the leader you will have the moral fortitude to forgive your tormentors or opponents and seek to establish an inclusive society.
I do not like the idea of either the Kiir group or now the Riek group always accusing or demonizing those who were in Khartoum. People took refuge in Khartoum because they had to flee from SPLA atrocities in the South. These are Southerners and must be accepted and integrated back into the society. It’s time people are judged for what they are and what they can contribute in nation building than always claiming legitimacy to leadership positions because we did this or that.
Those who consider themselves to be the real SPLM and therefore the legitimate rulers of the country should have the moral courage Nelson Mandela had to embrace his opponents and focus on the future of the country and in deed we should let the bygone be bygone. The SPLM may own their party but they need to always remember that they do not own the country. The party belongs to them but the country belongs to all.
The monstrous system the SPLM established during the Interim period was not driven by political ideals but hatred and retribution. Since Dr. Riek and Co have declared that this SPLM has lost vision, what stops them from creating a party that bears their vision, objectives and values for national building, inclusive society and rule of law. Why stick to a party that is defunct but in the ludicrous name that it is.
Having said, these may I conclude by congratulating these guys because ultimately, it is better to oppose Kiir than to totally submit and surrender. But be prepared for a long walk to freedom. There may be no short cuts.
Thanks,
Joana Adams
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