The Most Influential South Sudanese of the Year 2014 (Part 1)
13 min readThe SSB’s Persons of the Year
By PaanLuel Wël, Juba
December 31, 2014 (SSB) — It is about 5 hours (Juba time) to the New Year 2015. Looking back into the passing year though, one can’t help but to wonder who could be considered the most influential persons of the year 2014 in the republic of South Sudan.
But what exactly is the most “influential” person of the year? From the outset, it should be made clear that the concept is both slippery and divisive, not least because so many shades of political opinions, engendered by the Dec 15th crisis, wish to lay exclusive claim to it.
The subjectivity entails in the question therefore render it a controversial query, one that is bound to generate as myriad responses and answers as there are people interested in the title.
Notwithstanding the inherent contentiousness, we at the South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website wish to unveil the following most influential persons of the year 2014 in the republic of South Sudan, dubbed “the SSB’s Persons of the Year.”
(a) Politics
Among the most influential politicians in the South Sudanese’ political discourse in the year 2014 are the following:
1. Salva Kiir Mayaardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan
Salva Kiir Mayaar Kuethpiny Lual is the current president of the republic of South Sudan and commander-in-chief of the SPLA forces. A veteran of both Anyanya One and the SPLM/A war of liberation, President Kiir became the chairman of the SPLM/A, president of GoSS and the first vice president of the Sudan following the sudden passing of Dr. John Garang, his boss, in the 2005 mysterious helicopter crash. It was under the tutelage of President Kiir that Southern Sudan achieved her independence on 9 July 2011 from Khartoum. Salva Kiir went on to become the founding president of the republic of South Sudan. However, South Sudan has failed to realize the great promises of independence. Instead, the country has experienced rampant corruption, embarrassing underdevelopment and wanton mismanagement of national resources. Lately, it has descended into a vicious civil war, pitting President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar, plus their supporters. Nonetheless, President Kiir still command a sizeable loyalty among the people of South Sudan and could arguable be characterized as the most popular politician in the entire country. His support accrues not only from his Dinka ethnic group, the largest tribe in the county, but also from his celebrated records during the war of liberation. He is the only surviving member among the seven founding fathers of the SPLM/A. He has never betrayed the Movement although he had serious disagreements with Chairman John Garang. Currently, he is being accused of having engineered the massacre of unarmed Nuer civilians in the wake of Dec 15th crisis in Juba.
2. Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the de facto Leader of the SPLM/A-IO
Riek Machar Teny Puot is the first vice president of the republic of South Sudan and the current leader of the rebel group, the SPLM/A-In-Opposition. Riek was among the earliest South Sudanese intellectuals to join the SPLM/A after its inception in 1983. He was the former adjutant of Chairman Garang before he became one of the best zonal commanders of the SPLM/A. He later rose in ranking to become one of the 12 alternate commanders of the SPLM/A High Command, the highest body of the Movement. Together with Dr. Lam Akol and Gordon Koang Chol, Riek declared a coup against the Movement in 1991. The coup failed and Riek later broke ranks with both Lam and Gordon Koang before he surrendered to Khartoum with his 1997 Khartoum Peace Agreement, an accord that President Bashir described as coming into the fold by those who had carried arms against the Sudanese state. Riek returned to the SPLM/A in 2002 and was made a 2nd deputy chairman after Commander Salva Kiir. With the death of John Garang, and the succession of Salva Kiir to the chairmanship, Riek became the SPLM no. 2 strongman and later the first vice president of South Sudan after secession in July 2011. Riek remained the vice president for over 8 years until President Kiir dismissed him in July 2013. It was under the watchful eyes of both President Kiir and VP Dr. Riek Machar that South Sudan descended into hell, as we know it. Following his dismissal in July 2013, Riek, along with other sacked cabinet members, embarked on a concerted campaign to agitate for “political reform and democratization” within the ruling SPLM party. Following the outbreak of violence on Dec 15th, the government accused Riek of having orchestrated a failed coup attempt against President Kiir. Riek fled into the bush wherein he later emerged as the de facto leader of the then fledgling armed rebel movement, calling for the blood-dripping head of President Kiir. In the aftermath of the Nasir coup, Riek was accused of masterminding the 1991 Bor Massacre; today, he is being accused of having engineered a second massacre, the 2013 Bor Massacre. Dr. Riek Machar, however, remains the second most popular politician in the republic of South Sudan. While much of his political support comes from his Nuer tribe, he also drives considerable backing from those circles that have been intrinsically opposed to the SPLM/A since 1983, and particularly from those anti-Dinka elements all over the country.
3. James Wani Igga, The vice president of South Sudan
James Wani Igga is the former longtime speaker of the South Sudan Legislative Assembly and the current reigning vice president of the republic of South Sudan. Wani Igga has a very special role and history in the liberation of South Sudan. Together with Joseph Oduho and Martyred Paterno Oboyi, among others, Wani Igga was among the earliest leaders from Equatoria region to join the Movement at a time when the SPLM/A was seen a Nilotic movement, formed purposely to deprive Equatorians of their gains achieved under Kokoraism. Wani Igga was among the 12 alternate members of the SPLM High Command. He became the SPLM/A no. 3 strong man after the defection of William Nyuon Bany in 1992. It was under the leaders of John Garang, Salva kiir and Wani Igga that the gallant forces of the SPLM/A fought both Khartoum and the Nasir group in the dark years of the 1990s to achieve the CPA and the eventual independence. Wani Igga is also famous for relinquishing his no. 3 position to Riek Machar in 2002 when Riek returned to the movement. By then, Garang had maintained the chairmanship while Salva Kiir argued that Garang and Riek, being both from the Greater Upper Nile region, cannot be allowed to hold the two most senior positions in the movement. Commander Salva Kiir had told Garang that he was representing the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region, not the Dinka tribe, and his position could not therefore be given to Riek Machar. Wani broke the deadlock when he voluntarily gave up his position, conceivably representing the Greater Equatoria region, to Riek Machar for the sake of peace and unity within the movement. As if history is repeating itself, Wani Igga is presently fending off possibilities of Dr. Riek Machar coming back into Juba to deprive him of his status, once more. Whatever the case, even in the event that the proposed prime minister eclipses the powers and political status of the vice president, Wani Igga would still remain one of the most influential politicians in the country, partly because of his unsullied records during the war of independence and more so because he is largely seen as a representative of the Greater Equatoria region. In term of population, Equatorians are only second to the Dinka; this is the unique political seat that Wani Igga ostensibly represents and espouses.
4. Pagan Amum Okiech, The current de facto leader of the SPLM LEADERS
Pagan Amum Okiech is the immediate former SG of the ruling SPLM party and the current de facto leader of the former SPLM political detainees, officially known as the SPLM Leaders. Pagan was among the first wave of students who left for the bush in 1982 (long before the birth of the SPLM/A in 1983) to spearhead a revolutionary struggle against Khartoum. Later on in 1983, Pagan, together with his brother-in-law, Martyred Nyachigak Ngachiluk, and Oyai Deng Ajak, joined the newly minted SPLM/A. Pagan was commissioned a captain, deployed but then later sent to Cuba (along with the likes of Aleu Ayieny etc.) for further military and ideological trainings. Upon his returned from Cuba, he became one of the closest confidants of the late Chairman Garang, helping in drafting and editing some of Garang’s momentous speeches. He was among those promoted to the rank of commander in the wake of 1991 Nasir coup, a move that was severely condemned by the Nasir leaders. It was Pagan who led the SPLM Brigade to Eastern Sudan in the late 1990s. Pagan later became the SG of the SPLM, replacing Wani Igga. When Salva Kiir, after assuming office in 2005, unveiled his first restructured list of the members of the SPLM Political Bureau, Pagan was no. 2, ahead of both Riek Machar and Wani Igga. In his first visit to Cairo, Egypt, after the death of Dr. John Garang, the media described him as the incarnation of John Garang. Very articulate, opinionated and ideological oriented, Pagan became the face and voice of South Sudanese’ continued resistance to Khartoum oppressive rule. He was once kicked out of the cabinet for his outspokenness. Nevertheless, he maintained a close working relationship with President Kiir both before and after the independence. Pagan was the lead negotiator with Khartoum and once a minister in the government, in addition to being the ruling party SG. Hell broke lose in 2013 when Pagan became critical of President Kiir’s leadership style. He was consequently suspended from his party post, barred from speaking to the media and then placed under house arrest. When violence erupted on December 15th, Pagan was among the most senior politicians arrested and placed on trial, allegedly, for masterminding the failed coup against the government of President Kiir. He was later acquitted, and left for political exile in Kenya where he leads the former political detainees at the South Sudanese peace talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
5. Madam Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabioor, Of the SPLM Leaders
Rebecca Nyandeng Chol Atem is the widow of the late Dr. John Garang. She is the former presidential advisor on gender and human rights and a current leading member of the SPLM Leaders—a group largely composed of the former SPLM political detainees and is principally opposed to the ongoing carnage in the country. Madam Nyandeng first came to political prominence during the selection of Salva Kiir to replace Chairman Garang. Reportedly, she was the first person to second the nomination of Commander Salva Kiir by Commander Kuol Manyang Juuk in New Site. Salva Kiir later elevated her into the membership of the SPLM Politburo and the National Liberation Council. Upon the formation of GoSS in 2005, Madam Nyandeng became the first Minister for Road and Bridges. She was later fired, after falling out with President Kiir, because, she said, the president had failed to follow and implement the vision and mission of the SPLM. Thus, it was natural that Madam Nyandeng was among the leading members of the SPLM party campaigning to unseat President Kiir in the lead up to the SPLM convention in 2013. When the president abruptly cancelled the planned convention and controversially dissolved all organs of the party except his post of the chairman, Madam Nyandeng, together with Pagan Amum and Riek Machar, declared her desire to run for the position of the party chairmanship and later for the presidency. In the aftermath of Dec 15th conflict, Madam Nyandeng was confined to her home, alleging that government forces were surrounding her house. She was not arrested, though she later departed to East Africa where she is currently a leading a member of the SPLM Leaders. She has been calling upon the warring parties to cease fighting, once declaring, on the second anniversary of South Sudan’s independence, that the flag of South Sudan is drowning in the blood of South Sudanese. Her position is that both President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar should relinquish power to different people. Critics accuse her of having fanned the current crisis, then turned around and sat on the fence, waiting to take over leadership. In the words of Captain Mabior Garang de Mabior, the SPLM Leaders are demanding to have a share in the carcass of the giraffe that they have not contributed in hunting. When everything is said and done, Madam Nyandeng, however, remain a formidable force in the political arena of South Sudan, not just because she is the widow of the late John Garang but precisely because of her very well articulated views. She is a great role model to future women leaders in South Sudan, a country where women have made little headway in the male-dominated national politics. That she is a force to reckon with is beyond debate and that is a great inspiration for women political empowerment and socioeconomic development, her weaknesses notwithstanding.
- Taban Deng Ghai, the Lead Negotiator for the SPLM-IO
Taban Deng Ghai is the former governor of Unity State and currently the right-hand man of Riek Machar. He is Riek Machar’s brother-in-law, being a cousin to Madam Angelina Teny. Taban, who was once in charge of Itang, was a high-ranking member of the SPLM/A before joining the Nasir camp in 1991. He was reportedly the link, facilitating the collaboration between the Nasir group and Khartoum government. He went to Khartoum with Riek Machar in 1997 and later contested the Unity state gubernatorial election under Riek’s party against a candidate backed by Paulino Matip Nhial, a Khartoum-allied warlord. A big fight broke out when Matip’s candidate was defeated. Matip, with the backing of Khartoum government that had trusted him over and above Riek Machar, captured and destroyed the headquarters of Riek Machar. Taban later rejoined the SPLM on his own and much earlier than Riek Machar. He later became closer to President Kiir, a move that angered Madam Angelina Teny and Riek Machar, both of whom vowed to punish him for betraying the family. During the 2010 general election, Madam Angelina, with the urging of Riek Machar, stood against Taban, her own cousin. It was bloody campaign with highly disputed outcomes in which some protestors were shot dead. Political wind changed again when President Kiir controversially fired Taban and replaced him with a brother of a man who had led an armed rebellion against Juba. The family—Riek, Angelina and Taban—closed ranks once more to fight as one body. When violence broke out in December 2013, the government claimed that it was a coup masterminded by none other than Taban Deng Ghai, on behalf of his in-law, Dr. Riek Machar. It was Taban who took Riek out of Juba and currently the one leading the rebel delegation at the South Sudanese peace talks in Addis Ababa.
- Michael Makwei Lueth, Minister for Information and government Spokesperson at the Addis Talks
Michael Makwei Lueth is one of the few longest serving ministers in the republic of South Sudan. Like Marial Benjamin, Makwei has been a minister since the formation of GoSS in 2005, serving from various ministries ranging from the powerful ministry of Justice to his current ministry of information. During the SPLM/A war, Makwei was a close confidant of Chairman Garang, serving as his legal advisor and was among the last people to leave the family of Dr. John Garang after the funeral. Makwei was appointed into the first cabinet of President Kiir and has remained a minister ever since. When Riek, Pagan and Nyandeng called a press conference on December 6th, Makwei attended the conference but never spoke. Critics claim that he went there purposely to record the names of those in attendance—and, supposedly, this was the list used by the national security to initiate and execute the arrest and detention of senior leaders of the SPLM on December 15th-17th. Makwei has been very outspoken against the real and imagined enemies of the government of South Sudan—UNMISS, the UN, IGAD, EU and the USA, in addition to the rebels. To Makwei, everyone and everything is a rebel until proven not. To most people, Makwei Lueth has become the face and voice of the government and their supporters. He is the darling to the supporters of President Kiir, the devil incarnate to the rebel camp, and a joke to the international community. Much to his credit, however, Michael Makwei Lueth is generally considered to be among the least corrupt members of President Kiir’s corruption-riddled government.
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