Will Dr. Riek Machar form his own political party during the transitional period?
By Mok Dei Gual, Kampala, Uganda
February 28, 2016 (SSB) — It has been said that it’s easy to be cheated by others when you are honest in your country politics. SPLM/A is the ruling party in the country but its political party which had killed most people in the country for a long time due to disputes that used to happens between SPLM Leaders with in ruling party. Political party is a group of people who organized to win elections operate the government and determine public policy. Interest group is the group of people who share common goals and who actively try to influence policymakers. We shall see both groups serve purpose in our government and at that.
Both are organized groups of the people working toward specific goals in the government and both promote politicians and raise money to accomplish their different goals for the elections. President Kiir is the chairman of the ruling party and the head of State in the country while Dr Machar is the Deputy of the ruling party and he shall be the head of the government in the country. Dr Machar has his interest groups whom their objective is to achieve their goals for coming election and the same to president Kiir.
The events of 2010 election which held in the country.
In 2010 election, both leaders had agreed before the president Kiir appointed his Deputy in the ruling party as his campaign manager in election. Kiir had promised Dr Machar for the party ticket to contest in 2015 elections. That was their secret agreement before the election started in the country. President Kiir had offered Dr Machar for the position of the vice president before the outcome of the election. Honestly, He had appointed his Deputy in the ruling party when the election is over based on their agreement they have made before the election kicked off in the country.
Dr Machar had traveled to ten states included counties in the country telling the citizens to vote for the president Kiir as their leader. Dr Machar served his country as the vice president for eight years. This is where the president Kiir failed to keep the promise which he told Dr Machar to be given the SPLM ticket as Deputy in the ruling party to contest in 2015 election. One week later, Equatoria politicians led by Nunu Kembu arrived to the office of the president to have meeting with the president Kiir before he had sacked Dr Machar from his government.
The president revealed to them that it’s the right time for Equatoria people to be given the position of the vice president in the country. In responds, Dr Machar heard the rumors and he started to make it known to most people in the country that, it’s time for him to contest for the position of president in coming election. The President heard what Dr Machar said and he felt like he wanted to arrest him and removed him from his government. As the result of that, the politicians divided themselves into difference groups in the country.
Absence of the SPLM Convention in the country.
Internal politics has kicked off with in SPLM leaders where few members of SPLM political Bureau decided to go along with Dr Machar. The rest remained with the president Kiir. On the other hand, the president Kiir wants to replace National Liberation Council with new members and that was his secret to delay the SPLM convention after he heard that, most of National Liberation Council were supporters of Dr Machar. Both of groups had tried hard to call the SPLM convention to take place in the country for them to resolve their difference in the ruling party.
In June 23, 2013 the president Kiir dissolved the government as whole in the country. His intention was to remove Dr Machar from his government but, he had dissolved the government to avoid the civil war in the county as what he wished. Pagan Amum was also suspended as General Secretary of SPLM after he had criticized the president Kiir for dictatorship tendencies in the country. On December 6,2013 the faction of leaders of SPLM/A at political Bureau and National Liberation Council levels led by Dr Riek Machar hold their first conference where they discussed the issue facing SPLM as the party and the country. President Kiir was in South Africa together with the world leaders when Nelson Mandela passed always.
According to story of the ruling party, the SPLM passed through what so called seven stages of its turbulent stories which started from its formation in 1983 with immediately start of power struggle between Samuel Gach Tut and Dr John. One year later, in 1984 Gach killed at battle of Jekou. Sooner than later, the power struggle start again which later, after nine years of forceful union emerged into 1991 famous split into SPLM Nasir led by Dr Machar, SPLM Torit by Dr John and later SPLM United by Dr. Lam Akol respectively.
After reunification agreement in 2002, again the power struggles rejuvenate in 2004 with another famous Rumbek leadership conference where the looming disaster was material resolved. It’s better for the leaders of SPLM to find out what is the root cause of all these disagreements with in ruling party. What is the genesis of the crises in SPLM?
Implementation of Arusha SPLM agreement in relation to IGAD peace process.
African countries with sharing history of liberation struggle namely Ethiopia, South Africa and Tanzania though wise to find out what caused crises and resolved what caused disputes within SPLM party for interest of peace and security of South Sudan. The agreement focus on well-defined forty four reforms mainly classified as political, organizational and leadership matters. The IGAD leaders promised the SPLM leaders to apologize to South Sudanese for failing the liberation aspiration and instead assault them. The SPLM leaders had accepted that, they are responsible for the crimes committed during the current civil war.
Response of the president and his Deputy on area of Arusha SPLM agreement.
During negotiations on Arusha SPLM agreement then, IGAD leaders allowed SPLM leaders to say what they want to says before the conclusion. President Kiir said that ’’he might not allow all officials who were dismissed from the party to return to the party or the government and he went on saying that, it has become business in South Sudan that, if you want a position, you rebel, after you return tomorrow; you will be given a position. He also continues saying that, I do not think I will be continued doing this things.
Response of Dr Machar on agreement and he said, the agreement will not be delivered if the president Kiir remain as the chairman of unified party. He continues to say that, the president Kiir must step aside as chairman of the party, if he has accepted that, he is the one who instigated the current violence in the country he said. Arusha SPLM agreement did not make it clear that, the president Kiir shall be step aside for his Deputy to take over the ruling party.
The issue of taking over the ruling party by the Deputy is what caused the civil war in the country. There must be obstacles to permanent peace again, if the SPLM leaders still believing that, change will come within the ruling party.
Author is the student who pursuing a bachelor of social work and community development at University in Uganda…He can be reachable by gualkuiny@hotmail.com
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