Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News
BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2011
Indeed July 9, 2011 will be a day that the new dawn is born not only for South Sudanese but the entire African continent and the rest of the world. On the eve of the event, according to Barnaba Benjamin Marial, the information and broadcasting minister, prayers, concerts and sports events will be conducted in the build up to the July 9 independence celebrations.
Citizens across south Sudan will be encouraged to go to churches or gather in public squares to light candles and say prayers, to herald the birth of the new nation. Dancing and festivities will take place in villages across the country.
The government announcement comes less than week after the Catholic Church initiated nine days of prayer based on the theme; “tolerance and harmonious inter-ethnic and inter-religious relationships”. Many bishops from the south Sudan did not attend the 17th AMECEA Plenary Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya because of the occasion.
According to the information minister, bells and drums will be sounded at midnight on July 8 the eve of the Independence Day, to mark the historical transition from Southern Sudan to the ‘Republic of South Sudan’.
Over 3,500 representative, including kings, chiefs and elders from across the 10 states of the semi-autonomous region, leaders from the business community, civil society, women groups and youth movement are expected at the celebration.
Also earmarked for the historic event are foreign dignitaries, which will include some 30 African heads of state, foreign ministers, leaders of regional and multilateral organisations, as well as foreign ministers. Kenya Citizen-Royal Media TV crews are already in Juba and will cover the events live.
James Wani Igga, the long time friend of People for Peace in Africa and the speaker of South Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) has been earmarked to proclaim the independence of the new nation, thus becoming Africa’s 54th and the world’s 193rd country (according to UN membership).
President Salva Kirr is expected to sign the new transitional constitution, once Sudan’s flag is lowered and that of the new Republic of South Sudan is raised. The president will then take the oath of office as the first President of the Republic of South Sudan.
Also expected to grace the event will be a 21-gun salute, a parade of 1,500 people, comprising officers from the military, including the army, police, prison service, wildlife service and fire brigade.
People to be honoured on that day include Joseph Lagu, a former President of High Executive Council for South Sudan and now a Special Advisor to president Kiir. Like Kenyan constitution, Lagu says that cabinet members should not be part of the parliament if the doctrine of separation of powers should have much sense.
Also to be remembered is late Samson Lukare Kwaje who died some time back this year in Nairobi, Kenya. He was a senior member of the SPLM’s Political Bureau, the highest political organ of the former rebel movement that now governs South Sudan.
He was the Minister of Information for the newly established Government of South Sudan from 2005 to 2008. Dr. Kwaje was from Pojulu ethnic community from Central Equatoria. He served as the spokesman of the SPLM and its military wing the SPLM/A during the Second Sudanese Civil War Second Sudanese Civil War prior to the creation of the Government of South Sudan following the signing of CPA on 9 January 2005 by the late SPLM leader, Dr. John Garang and President of the Government of Sudan, President Omar al-Bashir.
The Bank of South Sudan (BOSS) has also been upgraded to Central Bank for the Republic of South Sudan ahead of independence. Already Kenya Commercial Bank and Equity among other banks are in South Sudan.
Despite the fact that people will celebrate however, Salva Kiir is faced with a lot of challenges. Currently his government is investigating what happened to millions of U.S. dollars released to build grain stores in each of South Sudan’s ten states.
The total cost of the money missing from grain orders that were paid for but not received and stores that were funded but not built is estimated to be over 2 billion U.S. dollars – similar to the region’s annual budget.
Finance ministry contractors were asked in 2009 to create 132 emergency grain stores costing over 90 million Sudanese Pounds ($34 million). Only 46 were built according to the South Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) select committee.
The fact that the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) is a rebel movement, the first challenge Salva Kiir will be faced with is putting into place qualified and learned army. He is also to work very hard to ensure that SPLM leadership is not tribally dominated and motivated as it is now.
Although SPLM Commander Edward Lino is likely to be named the head of army, the fact that he is a Dinka, and again that the army is dominated by Dinka puts yet another big challenge for Kiir. Edward Lino was the first head of the SPLM/A nucleus in Khartoum and now in Abyei.
It explains why on December 22, 2008 when Kiir appointed Nhial Deng Nhial as Defence Minister it generated a lot of controversies and speculations. None Dinkas viewed it as unconstitutional, nepotistic and tribally-driven.
Lino was born in Abyei on February 1946 from Abieng- went to Khartoum University, Faculty of Law but did not finish because he was arrested and detained with other colleagues for political activities. After the Addis Ababa Agreement in 1972, he went to the South where he was employed in the Ministry of Culture and Information as Assistant Editor in Nile Mirror Newspaper where he was again arrested and detained without trail.
Another challenge Kiir is faced with is to name Dr Riek Machar as his Vice President. Kiir being a Dinka while Riek is a Nuer poses many challenges. The occurrence of 1991 failed coup, its subsequent alleged Bor Massacre and their aftermath since then have generated political debate among South Sudanese.
Machar was commander of his home province, and then became Deputy Commander of the SPLA. In August 1991 he split from the Group of the SPLA-Nasir (named after the headquarters of the group in the town of Nasir, SPLA-United) along with Lam Akol the SPLA and wanted to remove Garang.
As per June 2010 the new government announced new government officials. They included the SPLM Secretary – General Pagan Amum and Southern Sector SPLM Secretary Dr Anne Itto who were appointed Ministers of Peace and CPA Implementation and Cooperatives and Rural Development respectively. The all-inclusive cabinet also consists of Ministers from the National Congress Party (NCP) and other South Sudan political parties.
Below is the list of new Government of South Sudan Ministers:
1. Mr Kosti Manibe Ngai Minister of Cabinet Affairs
2. Pagan Amum – Minister of Peace and CPA Implementation
3. Nhial Deng Nhial- Minister of SPLA and Veteran Affairs
4. Deng Alor Kuol- Minister of Regional Cooperation
5. Dr Cirino Hiteng Ofuho – Minister in the office of the President
6. John Luk Jok – Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development
7. Gier Chouang Aloung – Minister of Internal Affairs
8. Michael Makuei Lueth – Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
9. David Deng Athorbei- Minister of Finance and Economic Planning
10. General Oyay Deng Ajak – Minister of Investment
11. Mrs Awut Deng Acuil – Minister of Labour and Public Service
12. Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin – Minister of Information
13. Dr Luke Tombekana Monoja – Minister of Health
14. Dr Samson Lukare Kwaje –was then Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
15. Mr Anthony Lino Makana – Minister of Roads and Transport
16. Dr Michael Milli Hussein – Minister of Education
17. Mr Stephen Dhieu – Minister of Commerce and Industry
18. Minister of Environment (NCP to nominate their person)
19. Mrs Jema Nunu Kumba – Minister of Housing and Physical Planning
20. Mr Madut Biar Yel – Minister of Communication and Postal Services
21. Mr Garang Diing Akuong – Minister of Energy and Mining
22. Mrs Agnes Kwaje Lasuba – Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare
23. Dr Anne Itto Leonardo – Minister of Cooperatives and Rural Development
24. Mr James Kok Ruea – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disasters Management
25. Mr Paul Mayom Akec – Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources
26. Mr Joseph Ukel – Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology
27. Minister of Wildlife and Tourism (NCP was to nominate their person)
28. Mrs Nyalok Tiong Gatluak – Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries
29. Ms Mary Jervas Yak – Minister of Human Resources Development
30. Mr Makuac Teny Yok – Minister of Youth, Sports and Recreation
31. Mr Gabriel Changson Chang – Minister of Culture and Heritage
32. Dr Priscilla Nyanyang – Minister without Portfolio
People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya
Tel 254-20-4441372
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org