Nhial appointment to South Sudan Defense is laced with controversy

By Isaiah Abraham

December 22, 2008 — The President of the Government of Southern Sudan, H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit has confounded friends and foes one more time and this time, it’s in a big way. Mr. President has made one of his usual belated decisions to appoint Gen. Nhial Deng Nhial one of the bright leaders of South Sudan to become the next second Southern Defense Minister, after the ill fated planed killed Gen. Dominic Dim Deng in May this year. This is a covetous ministry each senior member or regions jostle to convert. At last now we have an NBA basket ball lover (he was one of the players anyway in his student times) becoming forth to non in the hierarchy of Southern Sudan, what would happen to the much circulated rumor under which Gen. Kuol Manyang, the current Jonglei State Governor was link to it? How will it go down with the public, especially supporters of this gentleman. I have specific word to this general at it all and it will be up to him to decide.

Before we fractured that question however, let’s look at the appointment itself, how significant it’s to our current security state of our affairs. What impact would it make for our immediate or short term issues? It’s very significant in that. The curtail has come down to uninvited messengers who juggle between the Presidency and the public about who to fill up that position. But specifically, there would be someone to answer questions in parliament when issues of the defense arise. There are troubles in the army especially issues to do with reorganization and financial management as well as training. A new Defense Minister will have a lot to do to ensure that our army meets the challenges of a true conventional army. In the face of internal and external challenges, the people of Southern Sudan shall watch closely the man in charged of our security; a huge force bloated at the top- many generals and officers with less training and unscreened large army. How is Gen. Nhial going to make changes direly needed by the army right now is another thing, time will tell. Does he has enough military skills and even character to reign over wild Generals who are in hurry with their lives, busy buying companies and houses abroad and inside using 40% army budget? There are rigorous issues in that army that put question to this assignment given Mr. Nhial absence from uniform. We shall wait and see.

Gen. Nhial appointment back to the cabinet is big news to the people of Southern Sudan. Gen. Nhial is an upshot of the liberation struggle and has what it takes to lead Southern Sudan not just a ministry. He talks sense and butter, but also walk his talks. He has tireless stood to ensure that the rights of his people are guaranteed and it came to passed. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is one of his achievements. His further achievement also is that he managed to bridge negative perception or ideological differences between the United States of America (USA) and the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) while serving as the Movement foreign chief, when the later was accused of being a communist movement. Now his resume has been topped up with the defense portfolio, who shall stop this man from going up to the top after Gen. Kiir and Gen. Dr. Machar retire? He is now a breath away from power, is he going to play it fair and focus or would he throw it away when untouchable generals near him there start to choke his plans, the same late Dr. Justice did. Unfortunately or fortunately, the generals are thanking their ‘stars’, for their prayers are answered. They were really in their knees when the rumor was matured and out that Gen. Kuol was coming to the Defense Ministry. One of the generals from that region this morning couldn’t hide his joys when he started behaving Santa Claus or Christmas man by giving children sweets and the likes while driving because of Gen. Nhial appointment. Make no mistake, Gen. Nhial might not sack anyone but he will use his legal skills and intellectual weights to frustrate our corrupt generals.

But Gen. Nhial departure from the cabinet one a half years ago generated hated arguments among Southern Sudanese about his ability to withstand difficulties or challenges. He was justified few months later when the Minister in charge of Southern Sudan money was implicated in one of the biggest graft in our land- he was relieved from his duties but never charged or tried. Gen. Nhial didn’t like corruption (or he claims it so); he is highly credible and am sure he will do his best there especially that he is so dear to the United States of America. With positive signs tilted towards him nonetheless, Gen. Nhial appointment has been dented by an earlier controversial claim by ‘Ahmed Chol’ or say the media that the position had actually been filed up by Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk, the Jonglei State Governor.

The people of Jonglei and Bor in particular where he hails from were excited and that is natural. In disbelief I guess they are now scratching their heads as to what really went wrong. Was it the governor who blew it out himself by breaching the President’s confidence or whether the President himself was the problem or both. Now that the position has snubbed them (or Gen. Kuol) for another home boy of the President, the same place that previously held it, what would be the reaction of these people towards the President in the long run? For now, the business yes might go on as usual but what in the long run or in between- during up coming elections and beyond? Take for granted that the President made that ‘approached’, how did he change his mind so suddenly to make another approach to Gen. Nhial? My guess is like yours; someone must be responsible for that political fiasco, I don’t know who he is. That is about Jonglei people reaction, how about others, how do they think through this drama? Your assignement…

It has been said or denied that nothing has been ‘approached’ and even the governor (Gen. Kuol) was reported to be saying he was misquoted by one of the Tribune writers there in Bor. We don’t know who to believe. It has been however a big relieve that this position has finally been filled. Our phones were breaking up hoarse or crying with people wasting money phoning everyone at night with ‘news’ from the Presidency. They don’t know that some of us have switched off long ago and aren’t interested anymore about any positive news from the Presidency. We are however waiting for a miracle to turn us around! Let me be generous to be general: am congratulating the President and the new Defense Minister and pray that they go ahead with that ministry plans from our late Defense Minister. Plans to strengthen our air defense systems and continuous trainings outside and inside. Gen. Oyai Deng Ajak (Southern Sudan Chief of Staff) did start an excellent deployment criterion (mixture of tribes in the army); it must be followed religiously. Soldiers are soldiers; they belong to no group or tribe: their mixture is critical and it has to go like that! I saw my younger cousin John Loryam Lokwar coming from Aweil this week speaking a bit of Dinka and was surprise how quickly that boy changed. By then he (we) thought these people are ‘animals’.

To General Kuol, there must be a political price to pay; whether he had shown an interest to that position or not, the events surrounding that appointment are embarrassing to the heart. With the quality of leadership and experiences he has, it was unthinkable that he could come public with a claim unless the writer put that word in his mouth and even so, there is no way to let it go. It must be public knowledge that perhaps the President had actually approached him but later changed his mind without consulting him (something not unique to rude employers), some of us can sympathize with that discourteous political gaffe on the side of our leader. The best think he could do therefore, to save his skin, is to resign not in protest but simply to heal from that ‘wound’. Reasons for his ‘healings’ are many but two among them are forcefully standing out: one is trust or confidence. Once that is lost, there is nothing you can do to recover it.

Recall how he came down three times- the first was when he was denied appointment to the same ministry and again when he never made it to SPLM top brass (Governor Agar over jumped him and then his removal from Federal Ministry to Governorship). The President surely has seen something that shunned him from keeping him so close to power or this particular job. To some of us, Gen. Kuol he is a smart hero, whatever capacity he is assigned to, he delivers. I don’t know you but for others he is a villain and murderer. They are missed him. Gen. Kuol will go down in the history of our struggle as a warrior and a liberator who goes by the book (law).

Second, is his integrity: it has suffered a damaged and therefore not easy to re-brand himself before the President for any other serious job at the top. Governor Kuol would be fine representing his people in parliament until leadership changes. He is not too old to be in the next government. For supporters of the Governor, you have to swallow that bitter pill (if its true your man was ‘approached’ or promised the job); but also, its the Presidential constitutional rights of His Excellency the President (Gen. Salva Kiir) to dish out jobs to who he wants. There is nothing you could do but to keep quiet and eat a humble pie; time has come for our President to do what he want to do and tomorrow would be another time for another leader to do his/her part. Let’s stand with our government, the President and our new Defense Minister for the sake of our beautiful land called Southern Sudan.

The author is based in Juba; he can be reached at [email protected]