Power Struggle in Juba: Kuol Manyang, a Dinka, the likely next president, not Wani Igga Jun. 07 Featured <http://www.southsudannation.com/category/featured/>, Uncategorized <http://www.southsudannation.com/category/uncategorized/> 4 comments <http://www.southsudannation.com/power-struggle-in-juba-dinka-kuol-manyang-the-likely-next-president-not-wani-igga/#comments>
SSN FLASH COMMENT, JUBA (June 07, 2015); A new power struggle is brewing up in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, as news spreads that president Salva Kiir is preparing to hand over power to a successor within the ruling SPLM-Juba party due to bad health, this comes after talks that Kiir has been privately confirmed as being sick, weak and not fit to continue by doctors. Talks going across the political and ministerial corridors in Juba say Kiir might be suffering from a kidney and liver disease and might decide to handover power. Kiir is said to have temporarily delegated his powers to current defence minister, Kuol Manyang, instead of James Wani Igga bypassing his Vice President, this has sent shock waves within the ruling party leadership ranks in what is seen as a huge saga to hit the party since the violent break up of the party in December 2013 which triggered the current civil war. It has been described by citizens and observers as particularly a huge embarrassment to vice president Wani Igga and a damage to his reputation. As vice president of the republic, Wani Igga is supposed to take responsibilities of state authority in case of any absence, death or unavailability of the president, he is also mandated to represent South Sudan in any regional or international meeting which requires high level representation to the level of president or vice president. Salva Kiir was allegedly pressured by leading SPLM members hailing mostly from Bahr el Ghazal to delegate powers to Kuol Manyang but not to Wani Igga whom one insider says has been described as having a weak personality, lacking character or clear political direction and is seen as a yes boy and would prove a president with no independent standing when it comes to important political decisions and actions. This all started yesterday on Saturday June 6th when Kiir was meant to attend the Northern Corridor meeting in Kampala which brings together all the heads of state of the various East African countries to discuss infrastructure and security programs for the region. President Kiir who is said to be sick, failed to appear at the conference with his colleagues from the region, but instead was represented by Kuol Manyang who is defence minister, to the surprise of many including the East African heads of state who expected at least the South Sudan’s Vice president to attend the important meeting if the president could not make it as the meeting was meant to be attended by heads of states and not on a ministerial level. According to a senior equatorian official in the SPLM party familiar with the presidency and protocols says Wani Igga was not informed of the move by the president and was shocked to discover he had been bypassed in terms of state protocol and constitutional powers without any explanation. The confidential source and senior Equatorian official in the SPLM party says Wani Igga has not taken Kiir’s decision lightly, saying Wani Igga expects a frank explanation from pres. Kiir as to why he has been bypassed as per protocol and why a junior to him has been delegated to represent the president while his vice president was available and was not engaged with any other duties while the president was also present inside and not outside the country. The senior official who is close to the vice president said such actions could allow for “mistrust” between the two senior SPLM leaders. Kiir, whose health is said to be in bad shape according to sources within the J-One (as the President residence is called), has been under heavy pressure from IGAD peace mediators and the international community to sign a peace deal which would end the current civil war and give the opposition forces led by Dr Riek Machar a lion’s share in a new interim government of national unity which would then undergo extensive reform programs including in key areas of security, judiciary and financial/resource sectors. The embattled South Sudanese president had initially rejected to sign any peace agreement that would give the opposition more power describing it as “rewarding rebellion,” is now said to be looking to sign a peace agreement which a senior Juba official from Bhar el Ghazal working within the presidency said is a ‘flexible’ arrangement which would allow Dr Riek to be appointed as the first vice president while leaving Wani Igga to hang on to the third senior position as second vice president for the sake of peace. The senior official who worked within the presidency and didn’t want to be named as he’s not authorised to speak on the peace process, says for that “flexible arrangement” to happen the Arusha agreement would now be linked to the ongoing peace process in Addis Ababa. This requirs both to be implemented together if agreed by the parties, the Arusha agreement calls for the reversal of all previous decisions by president Kiir to dismiss party members including those currently in the armed opposition the SPLM-IO, meaning Dr Riek Machar would then be reinstated as the first deputy chairmen of the SPLM re-unified party. This arrangement would automatically put Dr Riek above Wani Igga within the ruling party. Wani Igga would then go back to being the second deputy chairman and so as per the party rules the first deputy chairman will automatically be considered as second most senior and will hold the position of the first vice president. This leaves Wani Igga to hang on as the third man in the ruling party instead of his current position as the second leader within the SPLM party in Juba. As rumours of Kiir’s ill health and power handover spreads throughout the country like wild fire so is the race between senior political leaders to take his position. The president is said to be personally favouring Nhial Deng Nhial, the current government lead negotiator in the talks with the rebels, to be his successor, but this has been fiercely resisted by veteran SPLM members from the National Liberation Council who are in favour of Koul Manyang and see Nhial Deng having weak personality and has been involved in corruption. Meanwhile Equatorians within the government are said to be backing James Wani Igga as the next successor to president Salva Kiir, however this has been rejected by the SPLM National Liberation Council from Bahr El Ghazal who are said to have described Wani Igga has being a weak character who cannot be trusted and has no independent vision or political program. Another source said the current Chief of Army Gen. Paul Malong is also seen as another potential candidate with huge backing from Bahr El Ghazal SPLM members in Juba. However, Equatorians and Nuer members of the SPLM in Juba are said to have dismissed Gen. Paul Malong as having no qualification (he is completely illiterate) or political experience to lead a political party. Meanwhile SPLM members from Nuer and Greater Upper Nile are said to be opposing any attempt to try and install Kuol Manyang as successor to Kiir, describing the SPLM veteran as a tribal oriented politician who will not help SPLM unity. According to officials in Juba, James Wani Igga has resisted any attempts to have him drop his position as vice president. It’s not yet clear how the current vice president would receive any news of handing over his position, but it’s believed it has already started on Saturday when president Kiir delegated powers to his defence minister, Kuol Manyang, instead of his vice president Wani Igga. “Buy the truth but do not sell it” Proverbs 23:23 << Older <http://www.southsudannation.com/make-nilepet-to-be-like-petronas-an-open-letter-to-mr-joseph-cleto-kuel/> Newer >> <http://www.southsudannation.com/open-letter-complaint-to-south-sudan-the-new-frontier-for-australian-foreign-fighters/> 4 Comments 1. Elhag Paul June 7, 2015 at 1:32 pm <http://www.southsudannation.com/power-struggle-in-juba-dinka-kuol-manyang-the-likely-next-president-not-wani-igga/#comment-1138147> Baba ja tindikili! Baba tindikili!! Ai ai kalam ja, nar wala fi biet. Reply <http://www.southsudannation.com/power-struggle-in-juba-dinka-kuol-manyang-the-likely-next-president-not-wani-igga/?replytocom=1138147#respond> 2. deng Hanbol <http://[email protected]> June 7, 2015 at 4:44 pm <http://www.southsudannation.com/power-struggle-in-juba-dinka-kuol-manyang-the-likely-next-president-not-wani-igga/#comment-1138276> I wonder what is wrong with Equatoria tribes? I think Bari and the rest of Equatorian should think seriously about joining the people movement instantly following this event. In addition to Feritets, Chollo has already joined the SPLM- IO. From now on ward, people of south Sudan should know that Dinka tribe is the ultimate foe of 63 tribes.Therefore, these communities cannot coexist with this barbaric called Jaang. Sooner rather than later, Jaang’s future is in a jeopardy following the decision of Dinka council of elder. Reply <http://www.southsudannation.com/power-struggle-in-juba-dinka-kuol-manyang-the-likely-next-president-not-wani-igga/?replytocom=1138276#respond> 3. Eli June 7, 2015 at 6:26 pm <http://www.southsudannation.com/power-struggle-in-juba-dinka-kuol-manyang-the-likely-next-president-not-wani-igga/#comment-1138359> Editor, If this is true, then it’s a good news for the opposition parties. “A house that quarrels within its walls will not stand together”. Kuol Manyang may be a hero to some people but he is also a known tribal militia warlord and a butcher, he is waiting to be indicted for crimes against humanity, he is a sexist who hates women and a tyrant, he failed to contain the tribal violence in Jongole during his tenure as the governor, most of all it is during him being defense minister when the rebellion started and have thrived and more rebellions are on the rise, he is the weakest devil in the bunch. 100% +, Kuol Manyang is a wrong choice to succeed Kirr, not even Paul Malong should be the successor for many reasons, as far as I am concern, none of those in Juba SPLA/M qualifies including every other SPLA whatever affiliates. It isn’t the Bahr Ghazalians who own the nation, any chioce to come must be chosen by the people of South Sudan. What they forget is that the seat of the government is in Equatoria as of the moment, had Museveni not being behind Kirr’s regime Equatorians would have dismantle this regime already, although I hate to admit that the presence of UPDF in especially Equatoria made it very difficult to topple the Juba regime. Kirr’s strongholds are now in the two states of Central and Eastern Equatoria, they are now losing Western Equatoria bit by bit everyday. They lost control of both Bahr Gazal and Upper Nile, technically. So, by touching VP Wani Igga they are risking Central Equatoria, once if C.E goes into turmoil E.E is always ready to respond to the flare. Oh yah, the pot on the fire is boiling and the steam is gaining momentum, let them set their own traps, we are ready and the chicken has come home to roost. Eli Wani Reply <http://www.southsudannation.com/power-struggle-in-juba-dinka-kuol-manyang-the-likely-next-president-not-wani-igga/?replytocom=1138359#respond> 4. Chief Abiko! <http://Netzero.com> June 7, 2015 at 6:35 pm <http://www.southsudannation.com/power-struggle-in-juba-dinka-kuol-manyang-the-likely-next-president-not-wani-igga/#comment-1138367> Dear All Of Us, The SPLM Ruling Party fought in the bush in the civil war,in the movement,was LACKED THE BASIC PRINCIPLES! It has been on trouble ever since inception of 1983 until today! There is no any significant change ever come from it! In this recently rumors happening in the party,it could been true! Speculation could not move around simply for nothing! There is no smoke without a fire! The second 15,of December 2013,will take place soon! The South Sudan government under SPLM Ruling Party,will continue making the South Sudanese people to suffer indefinitely!!! -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14oq9Ra-xarkPfn8%3DZSOCk6NALX9DeHGqGFyTY%3DX2Qg20EQ%40mail.gmail.com. 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