The newly appointed Jonglei Governor, Hon. Denay Jok Chagor took off to the limelight with high energy on the face of Jonglei citizens as he promises a lot after his appointment by H.E. President Salva Kiir.
His speech which was however near a historical one, according to critics, was marred with a lot of biasness. The speech drew attention that led to mixed reactions. Many of his listeners were amazed by the use of American accent and hoped for the best while others were somehow upset.
Particularly, the writer of Leap to Fall, Deng Vanang notably pointed out that the speech was plagiarized from one of the Obama’s campaigns speeches in 2008. And this is what he had to say.
“My honest evaluation of Governor Denay Jock Chagor’s acceptance speech
I keenly listened to Denay’s speech. It is good speech with missed steps. He began with Oyee slogan, which is that of SPLM and not of his SSUM and neither SSOA.
He thanked Kiir for appointing him and not Josephine Lagu as his SSOA’s Chair lady.
He also failed to pay tribute to his late chairman, General Peter Gadet Yak who helped his meteoric political rise to power.
His speech is more rhetorical than genuine and modeled on one of popular campaign speeches by Barack Obama in 2008 and not based on Jonglei state’s realities as none other than decades-old disunity, negatives ethnicity, communal violence and general absence of development opportunities both him and Kiir regime in Juba can’t offer at this critical moment.
His indirect attack on Juba- based traditional elites’ negative influence in Jonglei as the source of Jonglei problem is absolutely true, but shall work to complicate his efforts to make a positive impact in volatile Jonglei.
His rejection of foreign workers and water tankers’ investors in Jonglei is untimely and detrimental when he has no resources to empower local residents in their place.
My take: Honorable Denay should rather focus his speech and future action on pacifying restive Jonglei as the priority and only his possible legacy if he succeeds.
Since South Sudan has no money this year, 2020 and entirely next year 2021 unless miracle happens to deliver necessary development promises.”
After his speech, many were optimistic for a change in Jonglei, a state which has been engulfed by conflicts and ethnic violence.