Opinion | The SPLM-IO’s Jonglei State is in extreme Political Confusion!

By. Mak Banguot Gok (Makjohnson)

Followed the R-ARCSS ‘signed in 2018; the parties to the agreement were obliged to dump their previous administrative schemes. The SPLM-IO and IG with the participation of other political stockholders were required to undergo a framework of the peace agreement. The SPLM-IO’s 21 States, as well as the SPLM-IG ’32 States projection, are too remained as a historical archive. The agreement which made it clear that a new transitional government of the national unity is to be formed so that it manifests a new beginning of the country’s political reconstruction opened new hope for the new beginning.

Therefore, the parties, although unsatisfactorily as many South Sudanese have a reason to disbelieve the progress so far, have established the government with only governmental institutions and guiding are not fully reinstituted. After all the artificial dedication whatsoever might have reached by the two principals, it seems to citizens like that, the only remained fragmentary was the reinstitutionalization of a decayed bureaucracy (bringing in of those who are capable of workings in these designated Jonglei State ‘public services institutions).

In the case of the SPLM-IO’s Jonglei State political organization, things are going politically unwell. The SPLM-IO movement supporters in Jonglei are caught in bewilderment when trying to catch up with the new political framework. That means the gaps between the SPLM-IO political leaders and the movement’s supporter’s opinions on the ground are very wide. One can induce that, the SPLM-IO’s Jonglei State political scheming is in total confusion. Who is responsible for the SPLM-IO political relapse in Jonglei State? You might have your own answers to this question! But, I can attribute the failure to an unqualified SPLM-IO ‘political representative in Jonglei State.

The SPLM-IO Chairman (Dr. Machar) is neglecting calls from the movement’s political enthusiasts for considering the facility of SPLM-IO’s representative (Simon Hoth Duol) and his team in Jonglei state. Therefore, we agreed that there isn’t at all an existing political leadership structure. And, problems are enormous that need urgent intervention of the very Chairman himself.

Lack of a clear political leadership structure allowed some unworthy members of SPLM-IO ‘Jonglei State to destroy more the movement’s political objective with theirs sabotaged political insubordination to the SPLM-IO movement. Meanwhile, the likes of SPLM-IO’s Jonglei state Deputy Chairman Brigadier General Simon Hoth Duol is symbolizing a political hell to the movement’s existence in this iconic state. He needs to be replaced and someone with ability and enthusiasm has to take over the SPLM-IO political leadership in Jonglei State.

The above refers to political demagogues as messing up with the only ramparts that were to be spared when a legible political leadership was installed. People losing the sense of SPLM-IO political influence due to the nonexistence of political activism.  Simon Hoth’s political lethargy become a nightmare to the members of SPLM-IO ‘Jonglei’s political cohorts. In fact, Hoth was not an ideal nominee for the post in Jonglei state. He ascended to the roles through his personal connection with the SPLM-IO Chairman-Dr. Machar who rejected Mohalani Peter Gatkuoth Minyong for Hoth despite the community was bitterly urged against Hoth on the ground of him being too meiotic. First, whatever isn’t getting through is well coupled with the SPLM-IO Chairman’s trying to stage-manage the movement’s political decisions making. Therefore, the worsening of SPLM-IO’s political entrenchments in Jonglei State is the SPLM-IO Chairman should be held answerable (for example of imposed Simon Hoth on people of the greater Lou-Nuer who don’t want him.) For the sake of precision, here I would like to specifically highlight some of the main obstacles that are facing the SPLM-IO movement in Jonglei with his (Hoth) direct involvement:

1. As a minister in the state R-TGoNU of Local Government and Law Enforcement, Simon Hoth caught up in uncalculated political antagonisms against his comrades and particularly whence he openly declared his political consortium with the SPLM-IO ‘enemies aligned with the Governor. Governor Chagor is not intimidating anyone’s political view because he came from not the SPLM-IG which suppressed the people of South Sudan, but, other political parties to the agreement. His political neutrality had shown how flexible he is with any of the political groups in Jonglei.
2. Being without doubt decoyed into a Self-serving ally with the very SPLM-IO enemies, Simon Hoth becomes somewhat championing hostility to the state Governor’s exercises of his legitimate powers. His personal revulsion of the young Governor has forced him to forsake all the responsibility he is supposedly executed after claimed over the SPLM-IO political leadership. Meanwhile, the only best political companions to Simon Hoth are the likes of the Jonglei State ‘SPLM-IG- Hon. Antipas Nyok, Hon. Tuong Majiok Deng of Cabinet Affairs, Hon. Gatkuoth Makuach Mut (Magirgir) and so on. One can understand the natures and kinds of political rapport he (Hoth) has with these discontented SPLM-IG ‘politicians in the correlation of the SPLM-IO ‘political objective and interests in Jonglei.
3. The SPLM-IO ‘defunct 21 states civil administrations (Bieh State) and others of the former civil arrangements are being refuted of their rights to be integrated into the state R-TGoNU by Simon Hoth Duol. Looked down on any of the advice given to him by his own comrades from within the SPLM-IO, the said deputy Chairman instead misconstrue the prospect of the very people who supported the SPLM-IO movement on the ground. He failed to identify the areas of his people’s interests and acting on only his personal opportunity. He is standing firms with few discontented political antagonists in the hindrance of the governor’s public services reforms agenda. Simon Hoth’s protestation of the reform is beyond doubt a hatred of the governor.
4. He   repeatedly proclaiming that “the SPLM-IO ‘former 21 States Civil Administration has no proper employment records that could be transferred to the Jonglei’s Revitalize Public Service bureaucracy for incorporation.” This is hell for those of the SPLM-IO civil servants who are waiting in the SPLM-IO controlled areas for amalgamation.
5. Simon Hoth Duol urged in favor of the groups which insist on the restructuring of the state ‘revitalize public service bureaucracy that, it should be based on the 2013 ‘Jonglei State employment records. That means, ‘your employment with the state public service institution before the conflict is you are entitled to resume”. On this matter, the state’s Council of Ministers has convinced an extraordinary session on the 8th of July, 2021 where Simon Hoth precedes inconsistent with his subordinates from the same SPLM-IO who urged in favor of the governor’s reforms agenda. In this regard, the very people who can works whilst in the SPLM-IO controlled areas will not be considered in the arrangement.

TO BE CONTINUOUS…………………………