Duk Community: An open letter to President Kiir on the poor governance of Philip Aguer in Jonglei state
An open letter to His Excellency, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan on Poor Governance of Governor Philip Aguer Panyang and Associated Marginalization of Duk Community in Jonglei State
From: Duk Community of Jonglei State
Date: 28th April 2016
Your Excellency,
May 3, 2016 (SSB) —- The community and leadership of Duk County are pleased to write to your Comradeship regarding the above-mentioned subject and take the opportunity to renew our commitment and support to your leadership of our Great Country, the Republic of South Sudan and our Great Party, the SPLM. It is also important here, Your Comradeship, to state our pledge and solidarity with Your Republican Order No. 36/2015 which established the twenty-eight States in our great Country.
In our community and leadership meeting held in Juba on 27th April 2016 to address the marginalization being done to the people of Duk in the New Jonglei State, we strongly condemned in the strongest terms possible the behaviour and attitude of Governor, Philip Aguer Panyang in his desire to oppress Duk Community to settle unknown political scores. In this regard, we wish to bring the following points to Your Excellency’s attention:
- Since his appointment, Governor Philip Aguer failed the test of leadership by abdicating his powers to the sitting MPs of Jonglei State Legislative Assembly to go and divide the seats among the three counties of Jonglei State. This gave Duk 3 seats, 6 to Twic East and Bor County 12. The indecisive nature of Gov. Philip Aguer made the MPs from Bor County to exploit the process which has now resulted into the stalemate between the Governor and the people of Duk Community. This mishandled process is a prerogative of the Presidency and the SPLM party.
- As has been the norm of SPLM Leadership since 2006, communities are always consulted to nominate their representatives to any level of government. Contrary to that, Gov. Philip Aguer appointed members from Duk Community into his government without consulting Duk Community leaders, while he received nomination lists from Bor and Twic East communities for representation. Mr Governor, does Duk not deserve consultation from your office?? Mr Governor, have you forgotten that your own nomination to the position you are now holding was through the communities of defunct Greater Bor and Twic East, which was respected by all Jonglei State’s communities?
- Deceptive Leadership – During certain stages of dispute between Duk Community and Governor Aguer, he deceived the community to nominate 4 members for appointment to the Jonglei State Legislative Assembly for Duk County to make 6 MPs in the Assembly. After he received the names of four nominees from Duk County leadership, the Governor quickly reneged from his promise and told Duk representative in a meeting that he was going to appoint only one member and if Duk leadership do not accept than they could go and complain anywhere they want.
- Delay of Announcing the Presidential Approved 9 Counties of Jonglei State: Governor Aguer is delaying to announce the nine (9) Counties of Jonglei State which were approved by Your Excellency, the President of Republic of South Sudan on 17th April 2016. This tactful and intended delay amounts to insubordination of the leadership of SPLM and our great country. This delay clearly shows the weakness of Governor Aguer for succumbing to demand from Bor County leadership embodied in their complain letter dated 18th April 2016 requesting for additional counties and was signed by Governor Aguer himself, Chairman of Bor County and the Chairman of defunct Greater Bor Community. Why would Gov. Aguer signed a complain letter from one county? Does this imply that Aguer is admitting bias towards his maternal uncles?
- Luke-worm position of Gov. Philip Aguer over Pajut of Panyang Payam of Duk County- Governor Aguer has been displaying negative attitude over the request of Maj. Gen. Peter Bol Kong, Governor of Bieh State to use Pajut area of Panyang Payam as his temporary headquarters. Gov. Aguer behaved as a junior officer (Colonel) before Gen. Peter Bol forgetting that his governorship position is equal to that of Gov. Bol Kong. While Gov. Aguer, supported by unknown enemies of Duk people were repeatedly allowing Gov. Peter Bol to relocate to Pajut. Duk Community was opposed to this request because of frequent intention from Wunror Lou Nuer to encroach on the territories of eastern Duk.
- Disrespect to Duk Community- Gov. Aguer has appointed two ministers, two MPs and members of commissions without consultation of Duk Community leadership. In this regard, Gov. Aguer defied the original agreement not to swear-in the handpicked members of his cabinet from Duk before the issue of parliamentary seats currently on the desk of H.E the President, is resolved. The governor’s intention here is to create a rift among the people of Duk which we could term as cheap “divide and rule” policy. Otherwise why would he send the two self-appointed and disgraced ministers to Duk now? If a drop of blood is spilled in Duk due to this ill-fated visit by the two traitors, Gov. Aguer must be held responsible by the people of Duk. For public consumption, is the governor entitled to appoint members of parliament without consultation from the people to be represented!! This is weird and we beg for answers. Off course, the two self-appointed ministers mentioned-above have been disowned by the community and were issued with community certificate of betrayal and were also asked not to visit Duk area.
- Confused Leadership:
- Governor Aguer appointed Dr. Yath Awan Yath and replaced him with Mr. Akech Deng Kuanyin without relieving Dr. Yath Awan Yath. Does the system of governance allow appointment of two people in the same position?
- Governor Aguer appointed 27 members to independent State Commissions in which he gave 3 positions only to Duk Community. Upon realizing the imbalance (injustice to Duk people) he created, he begun to secretly appoint members of Duk County to State Commissions without consultation in order to create equity as an after-thought.
- Governor Aguer has also appointed Mr. Peter Chol Puch into two different positions in a span of a week, first as a member of Land Commission and second as a member of parliament in Jonglei State Legislative Assembly. What a confusion!!
- This confusion and governor’s lust for dividing the people of Jonglei State has also been observed by many insiders and outsiders. A case in point is a position of Bor County Payams Youth leaders on Aguer’s war on Bor Identity (See the National Today Newspaper of Monday April 25th 2016).
In conclusion, Governor, Aguer appears confused, helpless, technically incompetent and unfit to govern. He is under mercy of those who are actually driving his vehicle of governance. Therefore, we the people of Duk do hereby appeal to Your Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic and Chairman of our great party SPLM to intervene by rescuing Jonglei State in general and people of Duk in particular before they fall into anarchy.
Signed on behalf of Duk County Community by:
- Philip Thon Leek, MP, NLA
- Anne Lino Wuor, MP, NLA
- Daniel Deng Lual, MP, CS,
- Abiel Chan Anyang, MP, JSLA
- Rachael Athiak Ruei, MP, JSLA
- Deng Awou Ader, Chairman Duk Community
- Kulang Mayen Kulang, D/Chairman Duk Community
- Peter Chol Galuak, Chairman, Hol
- Deng’asuod Leek, Chairman, NYADA
- Deng Wuor, Chairman, Duk Youth Leader
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