By Emmanuel Sunday de John
OPINION – President Salva Kiir Mayardit on June 4, 2020 in the Swearing-In Ceremony of Hon. Nhial Deng Nhial; the newly appointed Minister of the Presidential Affairs of the Republic of South Sudan expressed in a faint tone one of the reasons that led to his dismissal of Former Minister in the said portfolio, Mr. Mayiik Ayii Deng. The reason was apparent Corruption.
Mayiik short-changed the Nation. He did that by swapping the companies perhaps for purposes of kickbacks or so with resultant shoddy road construction that didn’t withstand a single rain.
In essence, Mr. Mayiik Ayii Deng and President Salva Kiir deprived the Minister of Roads and Bridges of the responsibility to handle matters related to roads and bridges construction among other responsibilities and instead, they curved that responsibility for themselves, making it a responsibility of the Presidency and when the contract was formally signed and to the dismay of the President, Mayiik opted to alter everything by swapping the companies, that is from Shandong Hi-Speed Group Co Ldt to one Shandong Nile Investment Ltd as expressed by President Salva Kiir in his short video clip.
The said action by Mayiik Ayii Deng is not short of felony and is of course a crime that would put him to jail for a period equals to that of Gurtel of Spain or that of Russian Laundromat among many other mind-boggling crimes of the world.
Mayiik opted to bring in a company so fake that the road its tarmacked was completely washed off by a single rain. Were South Sudanese gods at work? This is a question for another day.
Shielding
However, if President Salva Kiir wasn’t shielding Mayiik Ayii Deng, he would have asked the Criminal Investigation Department to apprehend him for further investigation leading to final trial with subsequent punishment in a competent court of law.
At his early days, President Salva Kiir promised to fight corruption with vigor and had once expressed that he had zero tolerance to corruption and that those who have involved themselves in any corrupt practices will be asked to vomit what the have swallowed. Why would President Salva allow Mayiik Ayii Deng to walk away majestically with public resources that he had swallowed? He must be pressed at the gag reflex to vomit this back right away.
Sacking him wasn’t enough as it only gives him the freedom to enjoy the loots from the public at liberty and luxuriously in the United States of America where he doubles as a citizen.
Having seen many government officials, former and current that have embezzled public funds freely enjoying their loots, I would say without remorse that it is a making of leadership and for this reason, I am borrowing Chinua Achebe’s expression on how weak leadership abetted corruption in Nigeria.
Here it goes: “Corruption is endemic because we have had a complete failure of leadership in Nigeria that has made corruption easy and profitable. It will be controlled when Nigerians put in place checks and balances that will make corruption “inconvenient” – with appropriate jail sentences and penalties to punish those that steal from the state”.
This said, Kiir’s leadership won’t punish Mayiik despite him being the best candidate for jail on apparent Corruption but should the construction of the road to Bhar El Gazal fail subsequent due to the scandal perpetrated by Mayiik.
I would advise the South Sudanese to pray to gods of South Sudan( from all corners of South Sudan and particularly from Juba, Terekeka, Yirol, Rumbek, Cueibet, Tonj, Wau, Gogrial, Twic, Ngok, Aweil and elsewhere) so that they can follow Mayiik Ayii Deng wherever he would go for stalling the construction of the highway that could have change the trajectory of things in the country and particularly on economic development, growth and social benefits all in the interest of successful fight against poverty.
Dishonor
Mayiik Ayii Deng has dishonored South Sudanese with his dishonesty and he will ever remain as a disgrace to Bahr El Gazal in particular and South Sudan at large with permanently strained Reputation! Till then, yours truly, Mr. Teetotaler!
The author is the spokesman for South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A). He can be reached via info@southsudanunitedfront.org.
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