Open letter to President Kiir: Return Geographical Constituency No. 24 to the People of Leer County
President Kiir and Riek Machar, Face to Face meeting in Juba, September 2019
By Cde Chuol Bang Teny, Leer, South Sudan
Tuesday, 27 February 2024 (PW) — With much pleasure, I submit this complaint to your humble office for your kind consideration. As the Head of this great nation, I have no doubt in mind that you will act swiftly to address this national matter of concern. It is my honor to represent the people of Leer County, who have been patiently waiting for the rightful geographical seat to be reverted back to us since the formation of the Revitalized Government of National Unity (RGoNU).
Unfortunately, Hon. Wait John Dak mistakenly grabbed the seat that does not belong to her constituency, and still holds it. As the famous quote goes, “To deny people their human right is to challenge their very humanity.” Therefore, we urge you to consider our plea and help us reclaim what rightfully belongs to us.
Esteemed President, I bring to your attention a crucial matter that may have eluded you. The geographical constituency 24, which represents the people of Leer County and Mayiandit County, was previously held by elected Member of Parliament Hon. Kuong Dak Wie. However, during the 2013 crises, Dr. Kuong Dak Wie joined the SPLM in opposition and the seat was subsequently occupied by Late Hon. Kam Wie Gai. Regrettably, Hon. Kam Wie Gai passed away due to stress or mental breakdown after losing the seat to Koch County.
This occurred immediately after the Revitalized Government of National Unity reconstituted and during the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Legislative Assembly (TNLA). To our surprise, the constituency was then given to the people of Koch County and is currently occupied by Hon. Wait John Dak, who is the wife of Hon. Malual Tap Diew. Hon. Tap Diew is the current first Undersecretary in the National Ministry of Finance and the former State Finance Minister for Unity State.
Your Excellency, the geographical constituencies in South Sudan were created to ensure that people can exercise their right to receive services and be represented by elected officials. It is concerning to see that the SPLM is denying the constituency seat of Leer County in the current Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA).
I have personally conducted a consultation and am making a heartfelt appeal for the return of our parliamentary seat in Leer. It is our right as the people of Leer to have fair representation in the National Assembly, and we have capable SPLM members who can uphold this responsibility with honor and dignity. We cannot allow the SPLM party to take our rights for granted.
It is time for us to demand what is rightfully ours and ensure that our voices are heard. We will continue to peacefully call for our rights up to the grassroots level until the SPLM party grants us the justice we deserve. If our plea is ignored, we will have no choice but to file a legal case to reclaim our stolen geographic constituency 24 seat, which was unlawfully given to Hon Wait John Dak from Koch County.
Your Excellency, I greatly appreciate your leadership style and the positive impact it has had on the people of South Sudan. However, I believe that Leer, like other counties, deserves equal representation and access to government services. Recently, there has been a shortage of representation from SPLM in our area. This is concerning, but what’s even more concerning is the fact that our constituency, number 24, is at risk of being taken away from us. We urge you to take action and ensure that it remains under our jurisdiction.
This call is a reminder to your office to consider revoking the position of Honorable Wait John Dak, who is originally from Koch County but currently represents Leer County constituency 24. I believe that many South Sudanese citizens would agree with me that this is a justifiable complaint and that the seat should be returned to its rightful owners. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.
I personally do not have any issues with Hon Wait John Dak, nor do I know her or her husband Malual Tap Diew. I have never had any problems with them, and I do not anticipate having any personal problems with them in the future. However, I believe they will also agree with this call since they are representing the people of Koch in the government in different capacities.
Your Excellency, after consulting with the people of Leer and considering my own perspective, I have come to the realization that our rights have been lost due to your inaction. However, after reading this demand/call, I am hopeful that we can reclaim our rights.
I urge the people of Leer to unite behind this important call to remind the President about our lost seat and demand that it be returned to us. It is unacceptable that our rights are being ignored. I am optimistic that the President will hear our call and revoke the appointment of Hon. Wait John Dak.
Cc: President of the Republic of South Sudan
Cc: Speaker of National Transitional Legislative Assembly
Cc: SPLM Secretary General
Cc: Governor of Unity State.
Cde Chuol Bang Teny, the author, can be reached at his email address: johncb.td@gmail.com.
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