Bona Bang Dhel, a supporter of General Salva Kiir and one of several Dinka elders who met with the SPLA-Juba top commander over the weekend, says that the proposed power-sharing deal would set a bad precedent in South Sudan.

The Dinka elder together with other prominent members of the Bahr al Ghazal Dinka met privately with Kiir on Sunday to assure him of their support. Bona, who is also chairman of the board of directors of the recently established Juba Telegraph newspaper, hails from Salva Kiir’s home state Warrap.

Referring to the IGAD power-sharing proposal, Bona said, “You know that there is no provision in the transitional constitution for the position of prime minister but the president and the leadership has accepted this if it could bring peace, although there are people who think it would set a bad precedent and they are right by the way.”

He explained, “What do you think will prevent other people from not doing the same, rebelling against the government if this is one of the ways to get positions or get back to the government when one is removed?”

“Anybody can do the same. They can rebel against the government because they know there will be a compromise. I also think that this will set a bad example but what can be done when our people are dying, just because some people do not want now to be separated from power,” he added.

The Dinka elder said his personal view is that “the president should not be made to share powers” because there is no provision in the current constitution for the position of the prime minister.

He pointed out that Kiir has only agreed to accept a deal with SPLA-IO if the prime minister position is merely ceremonial or ‘non-executive’: “The prime minister which has been accepted is a position without powers.”

“If someone does not want this position, then let that person wait for elections and give it to someone else from his group or another person from a different group in the conflict if he thinks the proposal is not fair,” said Bona.

Bona also said that the president briefed the Dinka elders on the peace process and the IGAD proposal. He said the elders were “happy with his briefing.”

File photo: Salva Kiir