Did Riek Machar Learn the Importance of Strategic Planning in his PhD’s Training?
7 min readThe Shoddiness of Dr. Riek Machar’s Ph.D. studies in Strategic Planning and Management: Did Riek Machar Learn the Importance of Strategic Planning in his Ph.D.’s Training?
By Dr. Simon Wuor Gai, USA
February 6, 2018 (SSB) — The purpose of this article is that doctoral scholars are trained in theoretical knowledge, which enabled them to make an important decision by analyzing and assessing, using the evidence-based practices, known to scientific communities. In Riek’s case, though, this rigorous training seemed to fall in a deaf ear, as evidenced by his inability to achieve anything he attempted to do since 1985 to-date.
Since the inception of the SPLA/M back in the days, the very few individuals, who led thousands of thousand Southerners to war with Arab North was Riek Machar, Kerubino Kuanyin Bol, William Nyuon Bany, Thon Arok Thon, Dr. Lam Akol, Kuol Manyang Juuk, Salva Kiir Mayardit, the current president of the Republic of South Sudan, many more, and of course, the founding father of our nation, Dr. John Garang de Mabior. All had managed their men and women in uniform so well in every major battle they fought with Jalaba, decisively.
However, this writer has a big concern, as to why Riek Machar mismanaged the lives of his men and women in uniform he led during the Mour-mour battalion in 1985. Literally, Mour-mour battalion, as the name suggested in Nuer language stands for something uncountable or something that has no boundary limit, per se. Since Mour-mour battalions were a combination of many regiments in the army, it was suggested to be uncountable by then when Riek was leading them to war.
To read between the lines, as to why Dr. John Garang de Mabior had entrusted this countless regiments to the so-called Dr. Riek Machar, one would not miss reading his mindset that Riek is one of the highly educated people with a Ph.D. from a respected nation—Great Britain. It turned out later that the man had no teeth. (Please see the subsequent paragraphs for a complete account.)
Upon his arrival to Nasir’s garrison with Mour-Mour Battalions, this uncountable number of men and women in uniforms were almost got wipeout by only 300 boot soldiers of Anya-Anya II being led by late Gen. Stephen Duol Chuol by then. Later on, the soldiers had to make a decision on their own as if they had no central commander in charge of their battalions by bypassing this confronting small tiny force of Stephen Duol around Ulang area of Sobat River. They lost every major battle they fought against only 300 men with unimaginable casualties.
At this point in time, many people began to put some doubts on how Dr. Riek was performing on the battlefield. Had he been evaluated by this writer on the basis of his performance, he would have received a zero point, big time. Despite these major failures on the battlefield, the man continued to lead countless men and women in uniform, anyway. In line with SPLM/A liberation struggle’s guidelines by then, the zonal commander used to have legal, military, and political authority. By and large, Riek had a triple authority during this period.
Meaning, he commanded the armies by sending them to war, eliminating misbehaved officers by fire squat, hanging, send them to prisons, among the others. He had political authority by making laws and important decisions in his jurisdiction; he oversaw the legal matter by condemning someone to die, restitution, prison term, among the other severe punishments. Despite him holding the torch for all these authorities, he continued dividing his own people along the ethnic lines.
For instance, the war between Lou Nuer and Jikany Nuer was a case example that killed thousands of thousand people. The same goes for Unity State, and greater area of Fangak, not to mention the other wars on the basis of ethnicities. It is pretty fair to say that Dr. Riek Machar’s weaknesses did not come as a surprise today. There were red flags of failure as early as 1985 and 1991 when he divided his own tribesmen along the clan lines—the Nuer. While this writer’s intention was not meant to narrate all his failures, which could have had a complete book, I would like to point out that an early corrective measure would have altered this guy’s mindset before he had taken a huge toll on the people of South Sudan and beyond.
Nevertheless, his high achievement as a Ph.D. holder from a respected country on earth blindfolded the people of South Sudan to the core, including its national leaders. The purpose of this article is that doctoral scholars are trained in theoretical knowledge, which enabled them to make an important decision by analyzing and assessing, using the evidence-based practices, known to scientific communities.
In Riek’s case, though, this rigorous training seemed to fall in a deaf ear, as evidenced by his inability to achieve anything he attempted to do since 1985 to-date. I would, therefore, argue that Dr. Riek’s failure is not a surprise to many people in the Republic of South Sudan. Traditionally, the man is a lone wolf, who does not like to share any important decision with his peer. He egoistically acted as if he were the only intellectual in South Sudan, as a whole. Conventionally, he failed to employ data-driven decision making as a person with a doctoral degree.
Had he used the scientific data gathering as trained in Great Britain in his doctoral program, he would not have been a failure in major battlefields in 1985. He would not have been a failure in his attempt for the leadership of South Sudan in 1991. He would not have been a failure in his attempt to negotiate a political settlement between the South and the North in 1987—Khartoum Peace Agreement.
He could not have been a failure in his 8-year tenure as a first vice president of the Republic of South Sudan—2005 to 2013. He would not have been a failure in his attempt for the leadership of our nation in 2013. He would not have been a failure in 2016 peace agreement between SPLM/A in Opposition and the government.
On the basis of all these timelines, I want to make it clear to his subordinates that Dr. Machar will never be rewarded of anything tangible, but death, starvation, diseases, hunger, endless wars, and broken relationships among the people of South Sudan and their neighbors. It is time for you to wake up and rally behind Gen. Taban Deng Gai at this point in time.
In conclusion, Dr. Riek is dead militarily, for he has never brought even a bullet to his soldiers, let alone medications and foods for his armies. He failed miserably in politics, for he has never rallied any allies behind his troops, leave alone the people of South Sudan. Most of all, he failed educationally, for he has never followed the principles of science. The only thing he left with is a tittle as a doctoral degree holder; that is it.
If you happen to be a Nuer, who needs a change in thy life, please team up with the first vice president of the Republic of South Sudan, Gen. Taban Deng Gai. Together, we will reach an extra mile with him. He knows what he is doing, as opposed to Riek Machar, who does not know what has been doing for almost forty years in leadership.
Thank you for your consideration,
You can reach the author, Dr. Simon Wuor Gai, via his email: simongai22@gmail.com
The opinion expressed here is solely the view of the writer. The veracity of any claim made is the responsibility of the author, not PaanLuel Wël: South Sudanese Bloggers (SSB) website. If you want to submit an opinion article, commentary or news analysis, please email it to paanluel2011@gmail.com. PaanLuel Wël website (SSB) do reserve the right to edit or reject material before publication. Please include your full name, a short biography, email address, city and the country you are writing from.
About Post Author
