Opinion | Paradox and conspiracy spiraling Nunu’s nomination as speaker of parliament

By Concerned SPLM Political Cadres

OPINION — Prior to the meeting of SPLM caucus and SPLM Leadership decision has already been considered with consensus concerning who supposed to be a Speaker to the reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly. The consensus was revolving around the former Speaker who was recently elected in 2019; at the time the Parliament was almost in total recess awaiting the reconstitution in accordance to R-ARCSS 2018.

Secondly, the leadership wanted continuation since it was a preference of same SPLM caucus in 2019 accompanied with several political strategies and intentions. Unfortunately, on the day of Friday, July 23rd 2021, before the general meeting in the main hall could start Nunu Kumba whom she was a drop candidate and Wani initiated a conspiracy meeting comprises of comrade Chairman Salva Kiir Mayardit, James Wani, Kuol Manyang, Daniel Awet and Nunu Kumba. Nunu and Wani secretly persuaded Cde. Mark Nyiporch to joint their conspiracy plan excluding other members of Political Bureau who were reachable.

Cde. Mark Nyiporch knowingly went against his conscience and caliber as a senior SPLM and member of Political Bureau to succumb to Wani-Nunu conspiracy. What Mark Nyiporch did prompted many SPLM members to have lowest opinion about him and respect accorded to Mark Nyiporch, Wani and Nunu as a nationalists in all SPLM circuits across the country are fading away with no return.

Before this conspiracy meeting could start, Comrade Chairman posed a question to Nunu (SG) that where are the other members? Wani and Nunu hastily responded in an ‘Adil Imam’ comedy by saying it is not a problem at all, the five of us can move ahead with this meeting since the matter is of high urgent. Hence, the other members will be informed about the outcome of this very urgent meeting. This conspiracy meeting in actual sense violates SPLM constitution 2008 amended 2016, Article 28:1(f).

It is important to notice that since Nunu was continuing lobby for the post then she supposes not to be part of the meeting, but Wani made sure that she is present. Wani wanted Jemma Nunu to be the speaker because he considered the proposed Speaker by consensus as an arch opponent to him; therefore it is deliberate for the meeting to continue without the other members of Political Bureau in order to foul the nomination and continuation of the former Speaker. Wani and Nunu know very well that if the other members were to be around it will be very difficult for their conspiracy game to go through. Today let it be known that Mr. Wani endless conspiracies against potential and competent Equatorians within the movement have been his culture.

We need not to elaborate more here about the culture of an unscrupulous and notorious person such as Cde Wani. All Equatorians comrades within the movement can boldly attest to that. Simply because Wani was working against some SPLM/A comrades who were senior to him and he was promoted from Captain to a member of high command through his conspiracy and sycophantic attitudes.

According to the disclosed information the nomination and consideration of comrade Ubuch Ujwok to assume Speakership position was confirmed and agreed up on earlier with consensus because the former Speaker was the right choice, even the meeting of the five knew that the candidate to the position of speakership was Ubuch. Hon. Ubuch is senior SPLM cadre who has been in the movement since the beginning of SPLM/SPLA before Cde James Wani who joined almost three years later of SPLM/SPLA inception. He served diligently in the general headquarter of Commander In Chief (CIC) in Addis Ababa and Nairobi; Cde. Ubuch also served in various capacities and portfolios including assignments in different zones, several operations Southern Blue Nile and Upper Nile. He carried massive mobilization and recruits of forces in Eastern Equatoria. He respectfully and responsibly played an instrumental role in the government of national unity in Khartoum when he was serving as the Minister of state in the ministry of regional cooperation and Minister of state in the Ministry of Agriculture in Sudan.

Comrade Ubuch was very effective in organizing SPLM caucuses in the government of the Republic of Sudan 2007 until South Sudan achieved its independence in 2011. He is discipline, principled and committed to protect the Movement and promote its ideals. Honestly, Cde Wani and Nunu are presupposedly to be the ones to acknowledge the immense contributions of comrade Ubuch in all aspects and his dedication to the SPLM/A and consequently accord him high respect. He is a leader and simple man who deserve respect than back knifing. What has Wani and Nunu gained besides this unproductive conspiracy.

Cde Ubuch will vividly remain in command of national politics. Ubuch contributions are known by all in the movement, members of political bureau, government of national unity in Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan.

This is in contrast to Cde Jemma Nunu who has ever been favored and rewarded with multiple responsibilities, but miserably failed to deliver. For example, in Western Equatoria as a governor, her administrative and political performance was below expectations. Records of corruption was too high to extent that she couldn’t account for over US$ 250m allocated for CPA celebrations in 2009 (the audit report is awaiting her explanation up-to-date).

As a person possesses with tribalism, she sacked all government officials that hails from Central and Eastern Equatorian from Western Equatoria State. Even, she never spared the Moru officials who are native of the Western Equatoria State – she pushed them out of Yambio and filled all senior positions with Zandes. She is corrupt, tribalist infested with nepotism. Her social behaviour and character is weak and that eventually attributed to her dislike even by the Azandes. The worse to mention is her failure of the SPLM in Western Equatoria, a fact the led to her defeat in the elections 2010.

The former Speaker and Bakasoro posed a potential threat to wani and nunu that is why they forged an urgent alliance such that they can shoot two birds with one stone. Nunu is the architect of the crises taking place in Western Equatoria and Wani wanted to destroy Eastern Equatoria because there is no rebellion and because of wani weak and fragile leadership style consolidated the rebellion in Central Equatoria.

When appraising her performance across the ministries she managed, her performance is characterized by a series of gross corruption, malpractices and even she failed to safe guard the national interest. For example, when she was a Minister of Electricity she signed a contract for importation of electricity from Uganda for over 60 years, when South Sudan is endue with a potential of generating over 2000 mgw of hydroelectricity at Fula and capable of supplying the entire East Africa Region. She was totally ignorant about the economic, security and political consequences of what she signed.

Yet, she was proud of it and calls it an achievement. This is lack of political/ leadership consciousness and patriotism. And here Cde Wani dramatizes that this is a competent, principle and a nationalist leader.

Nunu as A/ Secretary General SPLM

Of cause, it is essential to critically examine Nunu’s performance as an Acting SPLM Secretary General since 2015, before, elevating and assigning her this crucial and noble portfolio of Speakership, since she destroyed and failed to manage the national secretariat. During her tenure in office, the SPLM mobilization, recruitments and ideological orientation activities drastically dwindled to extent that the party presence categorically vanished particularly in a city like Juba. She lacks the ability to dialogue and the power of articulating the SPLM vision in order to convince people and build up the party popularity. She is intolerance, sarcastic and demonstrates unruly behaviours whenever a political dialogue is sparked. For instance, in one of the funerals in Gudule early this year, she walked and violently pulled mic from a speaker while insulting and uttering disgracing wards. She was terribly booed by the huge congregation and they said ‘if this is the SPLM behaviours they better depart with the party’.

Nunu led the SPLM go without developing policies and strategies of how to address the ongoing socioeconomic and political challenges and inculcate hope amidst the suffering common citizens. She lacks organizational, intellectual and political capabilities to orient members and builds vibrant cadres. It is regrettable, that she even failed to hook the members of Political and National Liberation Council through a discussion forum (internet) in order to meet regularly or share important political developments at affordable costs as well as she failed to established SPLM media houses, newspapers, and magazine. Of course, such a simple idea is far beyond her mental thinking or reach. She lacks creativity and innovation. In reality, the money she used for her frequent travels to Tombura and unclear foreign trips would have been used to build the national secretariat which up-to-date operates under prefabs. She couldn’t think of that such a noble idea of promoting team work and transparency because she is a believer in conspiracy. Nunu undermines the team work because doesn’t understand the meaning of team work. She always works with Cde. Peter Lam, Kennedy Ganniko, Jacinto, Kuol Atem and Santo Maleth excluding other secretaries and deputies in the national secretariat. Nunu wanted to make sure that her supporters to be appointed in senior positions in the national secretariat and Peter Lam to be the proposed Secretary General of SPLM national secretariat such that Peter Lam can protect her interest in the SPLM national secretariat.

From the reliable source Nunu is planning to drop the name of Cde. Louis Lobong Lojore who is expected to be the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Nunu is favouring her closest supporter Mary Nawai Martin a Zande to be a minister. Nunu will continue to recommend, recruit and appoint her relatives and family members as she did in all ministries she served including the current ministry of Parliamentary Affairs whereby the undersecretary, messengers and cleaners were mostly from Nunu relatives in order for them protect Nunu’s interest in the Ministry. Definitely she will extend and do the same in the assembly. This is a debauchery. Nunu is harming Western Equatoria because her paternal uncles originally not from Western Equatoria.

Nunu thirst for money made her accompany Islamic groups that never subscribed to SPLM ideals of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance before and after the independence of South Sudan. Such involvement is so dangerous and it indicates that Nunu possess nothing to offer to the party that is way she cannot initiate something in the SPLM except she ascribe to something initiated by non-SPLM and ignorance she could understand and know that SPLM has no connection with religion which may compromise fundamentals of SPLM ideology and principles. Such irresponsible behaviour is making the SPLM sink and stinks in some important political circuits, particularly, when such moves are reflected against the back ground of our social realities. Nonetheless, she is squandering and abusing the Party financial resources for her personal benefits.

If this is the behaviour of Nunu when she was an Acting Secretary General, so far, what is the take of Cde Wani?

Nunu’s Speakership Pronouncement

The capital pronouncement in the hall that ‘the Speaker we are going to announced you won’t accept… and soon she will be in trouble… and that is Jemma Nunu’. This pronouncement alone is a testimony of her persistent failures, manifestation of despair and adequate justification of not to send her as Speaker of an assembly expected to promptly deliver R-ARCSS 2018 dividends. If Nunu was a matured leader, sensitive, conscious and ethically moral she would immediately withdrew her nomination and save herself from the anticipated humiliation in the forthcoming assembly. Indeed, she was already humiliated when no applauds followed the announcement of her nomination.

The SPLM has more competent, committed and discipline women in the National Assembly who should have been avail such opportunity for providing fresh leadership instead of sticking at back of a dying horse. Sincerely, and with due respect, the process should have engulfed the entire SPLM parliamentarian women with a focus on Equatorians who aspired to contest such as 1/ Hon. Betty Ochan Agwaro 2/ Hon. Beatrice Aber Samson 3/ Hon. Veronica Rendento Onzi 4/ Hon. Joy Kwaje Elzai and 5/ Hon. Jasmin Samuel Adakai.

These Honourable members enjoy the abundant command and political support of their constituencies. By doing so, women in politics will be nursed in the upright way to maintain their dignity and have confidence in themselves. Otherwise, the up-harzards nominations and imposition of unwanted women candidates, we facilitate building of women leadership on wrong foundation that lacks respect and sustainability as reflected in nunu’s abnormal characters and behaviours.

Hence, observing the 35% women representation in the government in accordance to the peace agreement, this allocation can even be transferred to the quota of the SPLM IG Presidency (Vice President) if we couldn’t find a competent elected woman in the Assembly other than Nunu. Otherwise, the proposed Speaker Jemma Nunu will never command and rally the Assembly according to SPLM expectations and assertively drive a national agenda for comprehensive socioeconomic development and new political dispensation. Especially taking into consideration her weak appraisal performance and the school of thought she emanates from. We duly respect women participation in politics and would like to promote them to be exemplary role models not mischievous characters. Because, such unacceptable behaviours demonstrated by the likes of Nunu can easily deter participation of moral and discipline women and any young lady.

Why is Cde Wani favouring Cde Nunu

The inevitable question (s) Why is Cde Wani is committed to down fall of competent Equatorian colleagues during the liberation struggle and till now? Why Cde Wani is in full support of Cde Nunu? What is the infinite bondage? And so on and so on, so many questions can flow and they are all legitimate.

Regarding the first question, in fact, most of the Equatorians social media clubs, meetings, funerals and even churches has widely shared such concerns about the follies behaviour of Cde James Wani and they have concluded their analysis and are keeping their perceptions close to their chests. Cde. Wani is neither in command of Equatorians nor his own tribe. In nut shell, he is not popular and is losing popularity after every impish and bankrupt political step (conspiracy).

So, our analysis will focus on the last two questions – why is Cde Wani is favouring Jemma Nunu to become the Speaker of the forthcoming reconstituted assembly and what is the infinite bondage.

Those who associated with Cde Wani will never hesitate to say that this man is one of the most corrupt, self-centered and skimmer. Always he likes wicked people and immature politicians in order to portray himself as the only intellectual and informed Equatorian about the movement affairs. He is an associate of moral decaying and destruction of our social fabrics. Wani and Jemma are birds of same feathers. As a result, they possess infinite linkages at this moment of crashing some Equatorian fellows.

But, above all, Cde Wani wanted Nunu to become the next Speaker just to cover up the massive scandals he committed during his tenure as Speaker of TNLA 2005 – 2013. He deviated huge financial resources which led to collapse of some contracts. Honourable Members of the TNLA are much knowledgeable of the extent of his financial corruptions that remains a stigma since it was committed by supposedly a liberation leader. The MPs bear witness to that. Also, Cde Wani wanted a weak Speaker since he is not an advocate of economic reforms and democratic transformation.

The conspiracy of Wani-Nunu to remove some elected members of the parliament particularly from the Equatoria circuits and replace them by their own associates to consolidate a base for their support within the parliament was a naïve, unforgettable and unforgiveable hooliganism.

They falsely accused some elected members of not being committed to the SPLM while Wani-Nunu accorded all privileges and benefits and they are not attending sittings of the parliament and how do they know that these members are not committed. This has created unnecessary divisions among the Party parliamentarians. Thanks to the Chairman of the Party in revoking that decision, but, still there are some elected MPs who were re-fouled or left out.

Their political constituencies demand their immediate reinstatement. That was false accusation of some MPs by Wani, Nunu and Stephen Ojongo the government chief whip in the parliament, such an act is a blackmailing and deliberately misleading the Chairman of the SPLM and President of the Republic. This is an illicit act that momentously harms the Party progress, threatens member’s cohesion and in actual fact is tantamount to treason.

We demand accountability before promoting perpetrators of such unethical crimes. What morals does Nunu has to preside over MPs whom she deliberately malaise and dehumanized. And what a lesson and behaviours does Wani Nunu is trying to lecture to the resilient members of the Party and their esteemed supporters?

The return of Cde Joseph Bakasoro to rejoin the SPLM was a normal trend and a huge political gain and it consolidates the party particularly in Western Equatoria which Nunu destroyed. It was absolutely wrong to conceive that Bakasoro will automatically ascent a higher position without the consensus of the SPLM political Bureau.

To the dismay of the SPLM establishment, Wani-Nunu conspiracy for the Speakership was a cheap tactics to besiege Bakasoro while protecting his seat of Vice President. Thus, a fresh Wani-Nunu bond was created simply to destroy another Equatorian at the expense of envisaging strong parliament leadership and formidable political movement. The SPLM must development good strategies not a ‘monkey treks’ to handle issues such as of Bakasoro-Nunu frictions, instead, of rushing for unsustainable political decisions. The SPLM needs the Western Equatoria constituency more than Bakasoro or Nunu.

Unfortunately, this latest Wani-Nunu conspiracy to destroy the continuation of the former Speaker has caused unprecedented marginalization of Eastern Equatoria at the national level especially within the SPLM IG circuits. It is importance to notice that the entire Eastern Equatoria region is not even represented in the Political Bureau of SPLM, despite their massive contributions to the liberation struggle. The Wani-Nunu conspiracy has produced a costly damage bill which ought to be paid today or later. Wani and Nunu must know that the SPLM is neither Tombura nor Lobonok. Unscrupulous political conspiracies must cease and this is the time to base politics/ leadership on self-denial and holistic responsibility.

Being a member of Political Bureau does not legitimize one to be a position’s grabber. The SPLM have lessons and experiences to learn from other sisterly political movements within the African Continent and beyond. Not all the government portfolio are solely occupied by members of political bureaus or dished to their immediate associates. It is important to notice that, ‘Position grabbers’ especially those who does carry political weight, always destroy a Party and automatically repulses supporters. During the 2010, Wani’s conspiracy of introducing ‘electro-colleges’ in order to avoid party primaries had inflicted severe damage on SPLM. Fragmented the cohesion of the members and smashed the spirit of comradeship. It divided the house of SPLM at infancy and indeed a shamed the most respected Liberation Movement in the World. As a result, Wani Nunu conspiracies must be brought to an end before they inflict more damages on SPLM party in Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria and Upper Nile regions circuits. If at all, the SPLM endeavors to be stronger and maintain influence in Equatoria.

What do we need?

We wanted Speaker that will efficiently and confidently lead the forthcoming reconstituted Assembly, reconcile the different political spectrum of parties within the assembly and rally them behind national objectives. We need Speaker that will promote institutionalization, democracy and make the citizens be the pride of the nation. We need Speaker that can usher good regional and international cooperation in order to pave way for healthy diplomacy. We want Speaker that command respect of the entire assembly members from day one.

We don’t want Nunu to be the Speaker or assign any key portfolio, this is not because from a perspective of gender biasness, but, because Nunu does things on the expense of women and she is tarnishing the dignity of women, she is setting a very bad example for women of South Sudan to emulate by creating disunity among women of the nation. Nunu is unbearable liability, her nomination inflicted damages at exorbitant political ramifications to the SPLM, the country and that will eventually de-popularize President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

The authors are concerned members of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).

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