David Lual Bul Manyok: A quintessential of a leader for Twic East community in the USA
7 min readBy Aliru (Alier Mach Deng), Salt Lake City, USA
July 3, 2016 (SSB) —- David Lual Bul Manyok decision to seek the Presidency of Twic East community USA in the forthcoming election in Kansas City, USA, is in tandem with agenda and qualities that electorates are looking for at this critical moment. Perusing at their manifesto and the messaging from his team, unity and development clearly stand out as the bedrock of his campaign. I implore former classmates to enthusiastically and warmly join me in welcoming his interest in this seat. While it’s important to point out that this is going to be a competitive election, on strength of his unique attributes and achievements, I think he has a bias in clinching the presidency.
Those of us who were fortunate to have had an opportunity to be in the same class as the flag bearer in our formative years of studies in Nimule Primary School, Kakuma, Kenya, would attest to his character. Personally I admire his comportment. I studied with him from Grade 2 until we parted ways after completing Kenya Certificate of Primary Education. Ours was a closely knit and supportive class; we saw ourselves as fraternity and sorority.
We had bright and humble classmates like Deng Lueth Yuang (D.Lueth),Mading Nyuon,Kuot Agot, Matiop Agot, Dr. Samuel Gai Alony, John Awan Mach (John Fox), Peter Riak Akech (Apei), Anyier Nhial Malaak (Lonyier), Akoon, Dut,Ayuen Ajith, Jacob Mayol Bol, Reuben Lual Maker,Kur Achiek Ajak, Malual Achiek, Ayuen Garang Ajok, Mayom Ajith Anyieth, Our monitors Maper Agany and Akoon, Awuok Khot,Akuot Ayom, Ayen Ayuen, Yar Kuch, Aman Makol,Priscilla Yar, Awur Madul,Victoria Ayuen Mabil and Juba Ajith just to mention a few for the sake of readership and space. The series of successes that we enjoyed in school and later on in life would be incomplete without acknowledging the superior leadership provided by our great Headmaster, Mr. Atem Bul. He would be forever etched in our hearts and minds; you are near and dear to our hearts; you are the architect of what we enjoy today. May God bless you and your family wherever you are residing.
In the course of our studies, I fondly remember the contender as a nice, bright, charismatic, humble, reserved and cheerful person. The flag bearer was not a type of kid who was envious at others when they excelled in class; instead he was a young boy who celebrated successes of others as well as his; he had no ill-feeling toward his classmates whether at the top or bottom of his class. The community organizer had no contempt for his classmates instead he respected, valued and appreciated everyone. It was difficult to decipher when he was hurt since he was in high spirit most of the time whether he was disappointed or not. It was a little bit hard to know his position since he tended to shy away from controversies and things that hurt the feelings of others. Whenever he did not like or was not happy about something he would roll his eyes and maintain silence.
The presidential hopeful was a good team player and he had a cohesive study group with those of James Dhieu Panchol, Anyang Bul Diing and Malueth Diing who are currently in Boston, U.S.A. They were passionate about school and they worked extremely hard. The same spirit was replicated in the US and they all earned their Bachelors in prestigious US universities. That’s my candid recollection about the potential President of Twic East Community USA the man who could inherit and build on what Kuol Anyieth, the incumbent, has yet to achieve.
Mr. Lual is a responsible family man who is married to a beautiful wife and soulmate who is equally educated. Though she is not in the precinct of the election but away in Kenya, she has been very supportive throughout this grueling campaign; Ms. Kunjok Garang stands by her husband at this time. They are raising and nurturing two wonderful boys and a daughter.
The change agent has assembled a great team who are development oriented. His running mate, Kuol Lual Deng Awan, has already made a great impact both in the US and back at home as well as the Secretary General, Garang Ajak, who works closely with U.S Congress and Obama administration on matters of land and oil. Based on what universities they attended and their impressive accomplishments, they would deliver; I am sure their intimidating qualifications would translate into prosperity and development to the people.
Mr. Lual is competently and eminently qualified to lead the community given similar undertaking at high profile positions. The aspirant brings in wealth of experience as a result of leading political and community organizations. As the former President of Ayual Community Development Association (ACDA) for two terms, the contender extraordinarily accomplished amazing things for his community. He passionately offered his leadership at different capacities for the SPLM and Lost Boys and Girls Association including Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of Information respectively at state level, Utah.
Additionally, the contender has immense influence among Sudanese in Utah. The leader has worked closely with the court system and law enforcement trying to articulate the unique challenges that Sudanese face with these institutions. His academic background and impeccable credentials in Criminal Justice has enhanced and amplified his contributions to the community and to the institutions. The activist has been a resource that community turn to whenever problems arise in the community and he has been in forefront in tackling community issues and this has earned him respect and admiration from young and old.
The contender has been successful because of his acumen, good judgment and his ability and willingness to infuse participatory leadership in the governing of his subjects. His leadership has been great because he anchors it on probity and integrity, transparency and accountability.
Buoyed by these accomplishments and words of encouragement, he wishes to extend and share his superior leadership at another level and I am confident his election could mean an enormous difference.
One thing that mesmerized me about this soft gentle soul is the level of interest and that level of sort of curiosity and caring. After 1999 KCPE, I did not see him again until we ran into each other and subsequently exchanged pleasantries in 2011 in Nairobi. We were constrained by time though we had more to talk about.
Luckily, I moved to Salt Lake City, and he generously welcomed me to the wedding. As I sat down with him in Salt Lake City, Utah, and got engrossed in conversation with him during that glamorous wedding, I was totally surprised he knew all our grade two classmates including their relatives which I did not think he would recall given that he lived in Group 12 whereas I was in Group 14.He literally knew all people to an extent of even singling out those little brats that used to disturb people in school. In fact, he knew the situation, temperament of each individual classmate and whom they were related to in the community. I got so interested in his juiciest conversation that we had to pull our chairs aside. I secretly learned from him that day he is a great listener and a formidable communicator. This has been illustrated in his interaction and intermingling with men, women, kids and posting for photos as he tours states canvassing for votes and from updates he provides as he boards or disembarks at various airports.
I wish Mr. Lual and his challenger and Twic East Community in the USA a successful election. The community organizer has shown a marked capacity for leadership and he would play a significant role in realizing the aspirations and dreams of great people of Twic East USA and beyond. I wish everyone a safe trip to Kansas City.
As classmates, let us send Mr. Lual Bul off to Kansas City, the venue of the election, with this song that he loves and that we sang during our school competition in Kakuma. It was sung in Kiswahili.I hope you still remember. It goes like
Nimule ni maua (Nimule is a flower)
Nimule ni Maua
Nimule ni maua
Sisi tujivunie (We are proud ofNimule)
Sisi tujivunie
Sisi tujivunie
Nimule tusilale, baado mapambano, mapambano, baado mapambano, mapambano.
Lual usilale, baado mapambano, mapambano, baado mapambano, mapambano
(Nimule, let us not sleep, the struggle continues/we have not yet won the struggle)
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