Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel Kuol: The Goodluck Johnathan of South Sudan in the Rise to Power
Emmanuel Ariech Deng
By Emmanuel Ariech Deng, Juba-South Sudan
Friday, 28 March 2025 (PW) — Human development on the planet Earth is troubled by pros and cons, race and time, life and death, rise and fall, poverty and wealth, fade and luck. In one’s effort for power and resources, luck has outrightly overridden academic qualifications and speaking influences in ascending to power and wealth acquisition.
Credible human qualities preferable in public arenas, seem to be not working especially in an environment like South Sudan where huge number of the population do not know qualities needed for one to represent them in certain levels locally or internationally. Aspirations for everyone to lead or represent is basically placed on luck til the community get enlightened to understand the paradigm.
1. Former President of Nigeria- Goodluck Johnathan whose luck had guided him throughout his life, education and political career won Bayelsa State as governor and later nominated as a running mate to a presidential candidate-Umaru Yar’Adua who won election and Johnathan as his vice president.Yar’adua died before five-year term ended and Johnathan became president by constitutional prerogatives
2 Hastings Kamuzu Banda, a Malawian politician and a Stateman who luckily became president when Malawi attained sovereignty as republic from commonwealth realm in 1966.
3. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit ascended to power by luck following the accidental demise of Dr. John Garang De Mabior in Imatong Mountains Helicopter crash -2005. If Dr. Garang didn’t die accidentally, Kiir chances of becoming President would have been limited to his military career, existing personal qualities and qualification if any.
Little is known about Mel’s party rise and political influence in national and military affairs since the inception of South Sudan as country. However, Mel had been popularly known as a businessman when he earlier established the entrepreneurial entities of ABMC roads construction company, Home & Away Restuant and Social Events Club.
The rise of incoherent public speaker and financially orientedJesh-amer (Marekrek) can be accrued to his social inclination with the first daughter-Adut Salva Kiir Magardit in doing the business. Benjamin Bol who was grieved by the international sanctions imposed on him and his ABMC had to look for new avenues to rejuvenate the collapsing businesses. So, the strategy to be closer to the big man was the ladder to climb in rebranding the companies to win contracts and skip sanctions, taxes in procurements.
The duo strongly emerged with lucrative companies-ARC for roads and bridges as Crawford Capitals takes over E- Visas, and E-taxes for all corporate businesses in South Sudan while both continue in securing dubious government contracts. Adut and Bol resurfaced and resonated in the capital Juba with their companies subcontracting other foreign in some incomplete and unpaid projects implementation.
The grooming process started with Mel’s SPLM membership elevated to political bureau, liberation council and his appointment into a deputy SPLM Secretary General for political affairs and mobilization deposting Dr. Akol Paul Kordit, the former eloquent longest serving SPLM youth league leader. Akol lost his party prominence like many others for his outspokenness and clear indication of his quest for leadership. The queued top members of the SPLM became irritative when Dr. BBM was exponentially promoted to advisory roles to H.E the President, on Special Programs.
Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel might have won Kiirdit trust through his strategic alliance to the first family on social and business interaction to which access to the President eventually transcended into frequent, influential and existential stratagem. Although Benjamin leadership ambition wasn’t initially planned, he purportedly utilized the existing loopholes within the Presidency to cling to his current position in government as he remains vigilant to those who would oppose the next delegation powers in presumption. In figuring out the routemap of this swift power consolidation, you will find out that the benevolent luck had played a pivotal role.
Although this window of clinging to power has existed for long overdue, it was squarely abandoned and ignored by those of Dr. Majak De Agoot Atem and Muolana Ayok Deng Makuei who were much more closer to President Kiirdit in the bush era, pre- independence and post independence all alike.
BBM properly exploited these corridors of darkness, shadows and smoke to clearly emerge with what caught the attention of people by surprise. Now, the disappointment and jubilation equally resonated, sending waves to all walks of the political divide. Luck is a very important certificate in the rise to Presidential power.
If you want to submit an opinion article, commentary, or news analysis, please email it to the editor: info@paanluelwel.com or paanluel2011@gmail.com. PaanLuel Wël Media (PW) website does 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
