SPLM: Aides are not politicians

By Ngor Arol Garang

August 26, 2008 — It has been two months now that some aides of the Southern Sudan’s President , SPLM chairman and a First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan, 1st LT General Salva Kiir Mayardit, giving contradictory statements that kiir won’t run against the NCP chosen candidate, field marshal Omer Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir in the 2009 presidential election to pave ways for referendum, which will either confirm unity or fragmentation of the country into south and north based on people particularly Southerners’ interest.

These contradictions and public misguides started with small aides and later confirmed by the involvement of big aides such as statement denying nomination of Mr. Kiir as candidate from the minister of presidential affairs of the government of southern Sudan. This is the person public thought had delivered statement from the government.

However, SPLM’s position to run for presidency in the whole country, has now been made clear or to the public attention after I again read a statement on Sudan tribune website today 26, from the man steering the party, Mr. Amum, confirming what has been flying around in the newspapers, webs, forums and other media organs, that Mr. Kiir, though not official nominated, would soon be named a candidate, and this tells that aides are the ones confusing the public than politicians like Amum. Thanks Pagan Amum for saving public from adrift.

Therefore, with that said, I have to come back to the main theme that aides are not politicians to issue such contradictory statements on behave of the government. Literally, their work as per the meaning is to assist in the office of any leader or political leaders like President in this matter so that a head of the state is able to attend to public matters as per schedules but not to involve in country affairs unless otherwise ask to.
SPLM as perceived to be people’s party, has been suffering misguides from individuals who, even if they are aware that they are doing what they are not obligated to, continues to act as such.

In early this year amid census crisis when the SPLM was battling with NCP for inclusion of ethnicity and Religion, attention on Abyei, insecurity at the north- south borders among few other things to mention, some individuals rushed out first to inform the public while aware or knowing that President Mayardit was in Khartoum to discuss ways out with President Bashir, that census exercise has been postponed to October this year. A move which created ambivalent feelings among the southerners not because they do not like the decision taken by their government, GOSS, but why not on time as it was in the case of withdrawal from the central government in October 11 2007, a move taken or meant to push more pressure on Khartoum to implement some outstanding issues of some CPA provisions such as withdrawal of some elements of the Sudanese armed forces which were still in most part of Upper Nile Region past the deadline on July 9th 2007 and Bashir’s deliberate attempt to undermine or step into constitutional powers allocated to First Vice President in the agreement.

The decision to withdraw SPLM cabinets in the central government though it created tension at a time of decision taking, was a relief to all and that the response from NCP was the implementation of some CPA provisions such as the handing over of Malakal military garrison formerly occupied by only SAF elements to joint integrated units, a combine force of both SPLA from South and SAF elements from North. It also saw fair reshuffle as per list prepared and given to NCP’s Basher for endorsement to issue presidential decree to confirm constitutional appointment of the SPLM cadres into the government of National unity.

That was the goodness of taking decision on time so as to get general supports like the SPLM got. However, giving wrong statements and waiting to take decision at the last hour like in the case of census does not only creates or perceives as confusion within the party but it is the confusion that involves the general public who hosts majority of the beneficiaries of the decisions that are taken by the government. Not Only census but also in the ICC indictment of Bashir and his circles, SPLM leadership particularly the chairman of the Party Mr. Kiir was confused by these aides until he mistakenly accepted to head a committee appointed by Bashir called ICC crisis management committee of nine (9) people with Deng Alor, the minister of foreign affairs being the member.

Through issuing such statements on behave of the government by individuals, Public is now confused and that majority in the North, west, East, South and even in the center who would like to vote for change if SPLM make her position clear and call for assistances through campaigns in all part of Sudan, are faced with how to offer their supports since SPLM’s position through issuing Such contradictory statements and misguides are rampant in the leadership.

I, therefore, think it is necessary that SPLM creates public or community organization commission which would be dealing with organization, sensitization, and mobilization in form of campaign by selling out SPLM visions, mission and objectives country wide. This commission if created should work closely with the SPLM secretariats both in Juba and Khartoum and also with the media to ensure that public in the whole country are regularly informed of the SPLM position in the general election instead of relying on these aides to avoid getting wrong statements and misinterpretations of policies governing the party. Pagan is running clock and anti clock wise trying to ensure that public is rightly and adequately informed but individuals from other political parties in SPLM are misguiding the public. It is necessary that SPLM leadership create this position.

The Author is The Juba Post Journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]