SPLA chief of staff warns against politicizing the army

April 20, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan army (SPLA) Chief of General Staff, Gen. James Hoth Mai has warned the military to stay away from politics and misuse by politicians.

The senior military official, while addressing the SPLA forces in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state Saturday, told the forces not to be affected by disagreements between politicians in the capital, Juba, in direct reference to the recent contest between President Salva Kiir and his deputy, Riek Machar.

“Don’t allow yourselves to be misused by politicians in Juba. Some may come to you and say where are my people in the army…so that we can beat those Dinkas or those Nuers. No, only when they come with their ballot boxes is when we shall make choices and vote the ones we want,” he said in a statement televised on the state-owned SSTV.

Gen. Mai reminded the army of their constitutional mandate to protect the people of South Sudan from external threats, but not to be used by politicians for their personal gains.

“This army doesn’t belong to anybody,” he said, adding that politicians should play their politics without involving the army.

There has been unease in recent weeks as the ruling party (SPLM) prepares for its national convention in which to confirm President Kiir, also the current chair of the party, or elect a new chairman who will also be its flag bearer for the upcoming 2015 presidential elections.

The president also issued an order withdrawing some of unspecified delegated powers from the vice president, which caused public outcry.

There have been speculations that the recent shakeup of the army, from removal of deputies to the chief of general staff, was an attempt to maintain political loyalty in the army, which the army command refuted and described as normal.

Four candidates have emerged, in accordance with the recent party’s political bureau meeting, which also urged Kiir to step down.

Among the four senior officials who have expressed their intention to contest include Machar, who also doubles as the party’s deputy chairman, second deputy chairman, James Wani Igga, and Secretary General, Pagan Amum Okiech.

The ruling party has, however, not set the date for the said national convention, which was supposed to take place next month, according to its normal schedule in five years.

The last convention was conducted in May 2008.

(ST)