Sunday, August 5, 2018 (PW) —- A jilted Gen Julius Tabuley has reportedly declared a bloodless coup against Gen Thomas Chirillo of the National Salvation Front (NAS) for failing to initial and sign the Khartoum peace agreement. This is nothing less than the replay of Taban Deng vs Riek Machar scenario in July 2016.
However, the political self interest driving Thomas Chirillo must be understood and appreciated. One, he has little chance of clinching one of the 5 VP positions since Dr Wani Igga, a Bari like him, is retaining his seat.
Two, Equatorian politics revolves around land rights and federalism, and no unifying leader has so far emerged to champion them.
Since the Khartoum peace agreement has not adequately addressed the two issues that are dear to the Equatorians and since there is a gaping leadership vacuum on these issues, it is easy to see where Thomas Chirillo is going with his uncompromising opposition to Khartoum peace agreement.
He has nothing to lose personally and everything to gain politically. By the end of the three years of the TGONU, assuming it lasts that long, Thomas Chirillo may finally emerge as a serious force to reckon with – along with Kiir, and Riek.
But that is not all: just as Kiir is generally perceived as a Dinka leader and Riek as a Nuer leader, Thomas Chirillo will inevitably become an Equatorians leader, not a South Sudanese leader.
And that is the fundamental problem of South Sudan – losing our heroes and national leaders to tribalism.