Nepotism or Meritocracy: The Appointment of Gen. Gregory Vasili as Gogrial's Governor
5 min readPresident Kiir has appointed his brother-in-law on “merit”, “qualification” and “experience”; now the door is wide open for the ministers, governors, undersecretaries, office mangers, etc. to appoint their wives, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, uncles, in-laws, mistresses etc. on “merit”, “qualification” and “experience” too. Who will blame them when the Big Man has blessed it?
By Emmanuel Ariech Deng, Juba, South Sudan
January 4, 2017 (SSB) — The appointment of Gregory Vasilli Dmitry as Governor of Gogrial State has been received with mixed reactions from the state politically oriented youth and other corners of the Country. A South Sudan- Greek born Dmitry to Orthodox Christian immigrant, Vasilli Dmitry and a Dinka Apuk mother popularly known as Nyanjok Kuac Aduol the mother-in-law of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, has raised questions and ignited social media debate few minutes after the announcement.
There is no doubt that his appointment is perceived as nepotism following the season of Governors being handpicked instead of people electing them. Major-General Gregory rise in military ranks has never been about battles won, it has never been real military service delivery but mere consideration given due to the position held by the husband of his sister.
Some job opportunists have overwhelmingly hailed his appointment as best governor of all but fall short to convince the critiques whether there is any previous track of records of why he deserves this position but failed to avail anything substantial to support their arguments. Others resorted to citing an NGO, mine action organization known as OSIL based in Rumbek by then as the only achievement overseen by him. The verification of that is yet to be traced out and confirmed whether he had spearheaded the project writing of OSIL to be funded.
What is widely known about Dmitry dubbed as “Deng Kuac Aduol” according to the name read out in the decree, is his protracted womanizing life of both old and young women reflected back to the days when he was in Nairobi in which a small Hotel in South B (Terry Joe) was named “Gregory” because of his frequent dashing into the Hotel, the adventure that had occupied his elderly life and which would even proceed to spark more chaos in the community stripped off by systemic cultural conflict.
This author has truly witnessed the Nairobi womanizing allegation here in Juba, in a small Hotel along Kololo Road (Aryem) where I usually sit and asked for cup of coffee to make me concentrate on my book being written. Just imagine, the negative sentiments had to force me to change the location due to repeated phonographic co-incidences of him bringing a woman after a girl and a girl after a woman on almost daily routine.
I immediately got disappointed to relocate after unbelievably catching sight with one of his partners who knew me. It is only his body guard who became friendly to me when I one day felt pity of him to buy him some water after long hours of waiting for his boss on bonking session inside the hotel.
Although womanizing experience has no nothing to do with leadership given the case of South African President rape case and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy who were rated as ladies men, it is not good for a public figure to stick too much to other women abandoning his own, to which state powers and resources could be abused in the same manner in a traditionally administered State of Gogrial, where women related issues can easily mount to a bigger conflict. Mind you that, being addicted to womanizing is not different from being addicted to alcoholic.
I think Mr. President was pushed by his enemies or pressurized by his wife to ink the appointment of his brother in-law, not that he has full confidence in him to re-address and successfully reach the lasting solution to the conflict that has been on numerous occasions exemplified as a failure of his leadership in Juba to put to an end community conflicts at his home state and across South Sudan.
Now, the political making in Gogrial State has taken center stage in either Aguok or Apuk because of its politically associated community conflicts where the minorities have no choice but to be marginalized and bullied by the fighting majorities in resources allocation and positions in the State government, however, the common interest of the minority could be peace to prevail in the areas so that anybody who can cultivate, rear cattle or conduct business can do it without being deterred by the raging conflict.
Should the emergence of new name “Deng Kwach Aduol” be linked to the Sentry Corruption Report in which the recently appointed Gogrial State Governor was systematically and deeply implicated? Or is it because of the pending cases of land grabbing in Juba? We wonder why the man who was popularly known by his real name “Gregory Vasilli Dmitry” has been switched to “Deng Kwach Aduol” but still the debate on social media did not mention any of the new name.
Dmitry appointment has largely portrayed the President as nepotistic and added more harm on the deteriorating legacy of the President of his rule after the controversial constitutional extension of election period. There is no problem with appointing a qualified relative but only the appointment came in the time when everything of the government is on brink of collapse. After all, I am not aware of his academic credentials but his corrupt like behavior is a known substance by family and beyond. It will be up to Dmitry to work hard and survive family melting legacy or do it his usual way if anyone is aware of that! Otherwise it is when we accept the truth (black and white) as not criticism, that we can aspire.
You can reach the author via his email:Ariech Emmanuel <ariechemmanuel2015@gmail.com>
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