He was defeated by former ambassador Emmanuel Lomoro Lowila in the party’s primary election held in Mugwo Payam, where Lowila secured 102 votes while Bonju got 88.
Dr Agrey Cyrus Kanyigwa, former commissioner of Yei River County, who had also been seeking the same ticket, withdrew from the race.
Bonju, who has served as a lawmaker since 2010, is among the longest-serving legislators from the Yei area. He continued serving in the national legislature following South Sudan’s independence in 2011 and held several leadership positions in parliament.
He previously chaired the parliamentary committee responsible for information and communication and later headed the Information, Communication, Technology and Postal Service Committee in the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly.
He held the position until January 2022, when new committee leadership was appointed.
His defeat in the SPLM primary marks yet another heavy defeat for most of the senior officials who have been familiar figures in South Sudan’s Politics.
Meanwhile, the new flag bearer Lowila served as Minister in the office of the President in the first cabinet formed by President Salva Kiir following South Sudan’s independence in 2011.
In March 2013, he was among senior government officials who addressed the media over the disappearance of public funds from the Office of the President.
In 2015, he was appointed head of mission to the European Union after his ministerial service, replacing Ambassador Lumumba Maklele Nyajok.
Following his victory, Lowila thanked the SPLM leadership, delegates and party members for supporting his candidacy.
“My sincere appreciation goes to the SPLM leadership, delegates and members for electing me as your candidate for Constituency No. 8, Yei South. I will serve with humility, integrity and accountability. God bless our people,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Lowila will now represent the SPLM in the parliamentary race.
