Wulu community distance themselves from claims MP is Yau Yau supporter
November 25, 2013 (WULU) – A Lakes state MP at the centre of allegations he is a supporter of rebel leader David Yau Yau has rejected the claims made by the state’s military caretaker governor.
Matur Chuot Dhuol made the comments while addressing a rally in Wulu county on Monday.
Dhuol made an unexpected visited to Cueibet county, located in western part of Rumbek Central county, last Thursday, ending the trip in Wulu.
MP Moses Taban Manyiel, who represents the Wulu and Bahrgel as part of constituency No. 9, detailed a range of complex problems facing Wulu county during the meeting, including land grabbing and lack of adequate political representation.
Manyiel raised concerns that Wulu had been undermined by Dhuol after he excluded Wulu from representation in his new cabinet line-up.
The reshuffle was announced in October and left Wulu without a ministerial post.
The MP added that land grabbing between Wulu and Rumbek East county was continuing in Rumpanbuol-riak while the state government remained silent.
“Does your government allow us to talk about internal borders issues [rather] than international boundaries or is [the] government paying attention to Khartoum?” Manyiel asked the governor.
Dhuol sidestepped questions raised by the independent MP, accusing him of supporting the Yau Yau-led insurgency in Jonglei state and calling on the public not to vote for Manyiel in the upcoming 2015 elections.
The governor said as a Yau Yau supporter, Manyiel was not entitled to speak on community-related matters.
Dhuol’s comments took attendees at the rally by surprise who slowly began to disperse and move away.
Realising the public rally was breaking up, Wulu county commissioner Benjamin Akol Muorwel threatened to chop off the hands of those found to be criticising the governor.
“I would like to tell you, people of Wulu, that after governor Dhuol goes back to his office, I will chop off [the] hands of people who will criticise the system in this county”, he told the crowd.
Muorwel said that his administration would stand by Dhuol and would not be influenced by public opinion.
Muorwel is also serving as the Wulu SPLM party secretary, with his recent appointment as county commissioner drawing a negatives reaction from Wulu inhabitants.
Muorwel was arrested in February 2010 after he was accused of being involved in the murder of the state ministry of local government’s former deputy director, Sabit Nichola Majok, who was killed in June last year in an ambush carried out by unknown gunmen.
After spending a few months in prison, he was released under the protection of SPLM party leader Daniel Awet Akot and former caretaker Telar Ring Deng who reportedly made efforts to secure his release before the case went before court.
(ST)