INTERVIEW: Leader of youth-led African People’s Congress (APC) speaks to Sudans Post

JUBA – The African People’s Congress (APC), a youth-led political party established in 2021 in South Sudan, is making its voice heard. Following their leader’s 2022 detention for opposing the government, the APC is now engaged in open discussions about the upcoming elections and the progress of the revitalized peace agreement. Sudans Post sat down with the party’s leader, Dengbil William Aguer for an in-depth interview, the full text of which is available below.

Q1: WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE AFRICAN PEOPLE’S CONGRESS?

ANS: Our main objective among others are to compete with other political parties for the purpose of winning elections and forming the government by nominating and fielding candidates in all elective offices including presidential, parliamentary and civic seats, establish a Government of South Sudan based on democratic and Constitutional principles of a pluralistic democracy and good governance founded on principles of Unity, Justice, Fairness, Peace, Liberty and Equality, and which is transparent and accountable to the electorate and all the people of South Sudan, and to engage in and provide quality, just, fair and accountable leadership to the South Sudanese public in matters of political, economic and social governance devoid of corruption, nepotism and all forms of discrimination.

We also aspire to promote democratic, political governance within the framework of pluralist democracy based on the popular will of the people exercised through grassroots participation in Party activities, universal suffrage on principles of transparency and accountability in public affairs, justice, liberty, equality and respect for the Rule of Law, and the separation of powers between the three arms of Government, namely the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary, establish, enhance and entrench sound economic institutions and fiscal policies to ensure sustainable human, economic and physical development; accountable, free and fair usage of public resources and total elimination of corruption, nepotism and mediocrity.

We also aspire to encourage and promote coalition among parties pursuing similar objectives in South Sudan, and to protect and enhance the enjoyment of human rights as enshrined in the Transition Constitution of South Sudan and any international Conventions to which South Sudan is a signatory; to advocate, promote and comply with the United Nations International Bill on Human Rights, the African Charter of Human and People’ss Right and the Conference Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and any other internationally recognized Conferences;

We also want to improve the quality of life for all South Sudanese through promoting the eradication of Tribalism, Illiteracy, ignorance, poverty and disease, establish and put into practice systems of political governance aimed at the total eradication of all forms of tribalism, discrimination, sectionalism, oppression and exploitation; pursue, protect and promote civil, political, economic, religious, social or cultural rights and freedoms of the individual inter alia, the right to life and human dignity, and equality before the law; the freedoms of movement and association, thought, conscience, expression, religion, and to ensure the eradication of all unjust and oppressive laws and to promote law reform in accordance with principles of natural justice etc.

Q2: FOLLOWING YOUR ARREST AND RELEASE LAST YEAR, HOW HAS IT IMPACTED YOUR ORGANIZATION’S OPERATIONS, CONSIDERING ELECTIONS ARE LESS THAN A YEAR AWAY?

ANS: Well, it was our Secretary General Mr. Jacob Thon Dhiei Ngor that was first abducted and detained in solitary confinement for 96 day at the Blue house’s infamous detention facility. I survived an attempted abduction or assassination last year and yes I was actually abducted and detained on August 10^th, 2022. All these arbitrary arrests, torture detentions and intimidation have only emboldened us even more to continue the fight for good governance and rule of law in South Sudan in our lifetime.

Q3. DOES YOUR PARTY PLAN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, OR ARE YOU CONSIDERING RUNNING AGAINST PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR?

ANS: Of course, APC will file a candidate for the top seat. I cannot certainly say it’s going to be me because we will have primary elections within our party; so, it’ll be up to party members to elect our flag bearer. We are not a one man show like what we have witnessed with SPLM where President Salva Kiir Mayardit is endorsed unprocedurally. We are a democratic entity and anyone who wants to be our flag bearer must be subjected to a primary election.

We’re also a part of Coalition of Opposition Parties (COOP) and if all goes well, we might file one candidate that’s of course going to be through a democratic process too. The Coalition of Opposition Parties (COOP) is a grand alliance of political parties made up of the People’s United Forum (PUF), People’s Progressive Party (PPP), African People’s Congress (APC), Common Peoples Alliance (CPA), Democratic Party (DP), Veterans Union Party (VUP), Christian Union Party (CUP), National Unity Alliance (NUA), Action Democratic Party (ADP) and Federal Democratic Party (FDP).

Q4: WHAT SHORTCOMINGS DO YOU SEE IN THE SPLM THAT YOUR PARTY WILL ADDRESS IF YOUR PARTY WIN THE ELECTIONS?

ANS: SPLM has failed in many fronts since independence. It has failed to utilize Crude Oil revenue to bolster Agribusiness, Agroindustry, it has failed to disarmed, demilitarize the civil population and this is directly responsible for the rampant communal conflicts and violence, it has failed to uphold Rule of Law and good governance practices and this has had a direct contribution to rampant corruption and misuse of public funds and abuse of power, SPLM has failed to invest in infrastructure and social  services( Schools and Hospitals); until today, the National Schools were top SPLM cadres studied from are not renovated, expanded and extended to other States.

SPLM has letdown the people of South Sudan in so many ways and this’s why we in the African People’s Congress (APC) are calling on the top leadership of the SPLM to consider retirement. This Country right now want a ‘New Vision’, fresh mind, fresh knowledge (not this knowledge of 60s 70s or 80s) to steer the country away from imminent complete collapse.

Q5: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE REVITALIZED PEACE AGREEMENT? DO YOU BELIEVE IT ADDRESSES THE KEY ISSUES AFFECTING SOUTH SUDAN TODAY?

ANS: If it is implemented in later and spirit, R-ARCISS has a potential of steering South Sudan way from bad governance etc. but due to lack of political will, here we are, stuck once again.

 

Q6: PRESIDENT KIIR HAS STATED THERE WILL BE ELECTIONS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. DO YOU THINK SOUTH SUDAN IS READY FOR ELECTIONS AT THIS TIME? IF NOT, WHAT SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY NOW?

ANSWER: I am very much aware of the ongoing debate on whether or not election should be conducted around December 2024. First and foremost, I prefer the election. I am aware of the fact that South Sudanese are sick and tired of the politic of Lobby and Decrees. They want to elect their leaders especially those with people and Country at heart.

I equally believe that leadership is a national cake just like Crude Oil, Gold, and Diamond. Its dividends must be shared and the best way to share it is through competitive, free, and fair election. However, I had been carefully monitoring the election rhetoric that is being put forward by SPLM-IG since last year, but I realized that they are not serious about conducting election this year and signs are all there for everyone to see. Firstly, the Peace Parties are behind schedule in everything in their own Timetable they drew, i.e. ‘Roadmap’.

Secondly, the money (SSP 280,000000) or (USD 250,000) allocated to National Election Commission in the last year fiscal budget is yet to be released or cannot even pay rent for NEC Headquarters here in Juba. Thirdly, ten months to elections in December 2024 and voter registration, verification etc. has not taken place, National Elections Commission doesn’t have a befitting headquarters here in Juba and in the 10 States and hasn’t hired nearly 150,000 polling or counting clerks name them.

I would like to seize this opportunity to emphasis’ that General Election can’t be compared to BCYA Elections. It’s a huge undertaking that will require a great deal of resources. I estimate that since it’s our first election ever, it will require USD 500 Million or more. National Election Commission may also need to hire more than 200,000 South Sudanese as Election Commissioners, Presiding, returning officers and Polling Clerks, or counting clerks etc.

As illustrated above, the general election is not about getting high on tobacco snuff, feeling good and say things like ‘whether you like it or not election will take place in December 2024’. In my capacity as the leader of APC, I demand sanity from SPLM-IG cadres while talking and handling issues of elections. Get serious and deliver for us a free, fair Elections so that we in the APC can have a chance to kick you out of public offices once and for all.

Our position remains; If elections is not going to be possible this year, the Peace government must resign, and a lean government is formed from selected stakeholders, civil society, academia, and professional associations e.g. South Sudan Law Society etc. This government shall then prepare the much-needed elections.

Q7: WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT AND THE SPLM PARTY?

ANS: Well, I have never met President Salva Kiir Mayardit in person. I respect him as an elder and senior comrade to my late father. 2^nd Lt. Danial Aguer Kuir of shell nine (S/N: 1419) Koryom battalion. I don’t have any personal problems with him as a matter of fact; our differences are purely political. I am sometimes agitated by his boys in the NSS, ISB in particular, but it’s not a reason to hate him as a person. I look forward to meeting him in the future. I have a lot in mind to tell him.

Q8: THE GOVERNMENT HAS USED ANTI-AMERICAN RHETORIC AND THEY HAVE ACCUSED THE US OF INTERVENTION IN SOUTH SUDAN’S AFFAIRS, DO YOU AGREE?

ANS: No, I will not allow them to divert our attention away from real issues or their own failures. Did United States of America tell them to loot our country’s resources or prevented them from maintaining Rule of Law, Peace, and stability in South Sudan. I mean, the ills or problems of South Sudan right now are purely internal or homemade and no one should be allowed to blame outsiders especially our dear friend the United States of America (USA) or TRIOKA as a whole.