The author of this opinion article argues in favour of a resolution passed by South Sudan’s National Assembly calling on President Salva Kiir to decree the removal of the governor of Lakes State. The author argues that the governor failed to contain communal violence and has not gotten along well with the state legislature and SPLM Secretariat.

'Near total collapse'

Lakes State is a place in deep chaos. The problems of Lakes State are just too many. Revenge killings, road ambushes and cattle raiding have become synonymous with daily life and the news of death is all around. But the worst about it all is that leadership is just as bad as the rogue criminals that are terrorizing the State.

From the first day the Governor of Lakes State, Matur Chut Dhuol declared himself “the Governor, the police, the commissioner, the law maker, and the chief,” it was imminent that we would come this far: a near total collapse.

Under the current Governor the insecurity in Lakes State has just kept deteriorating and the Governor continues to add fuel with his usual insults, abuses, rude unconstitutional orders… and so much more.

The Jieng National Council of Elders has been conducting long meetings in Juba in an effort to find solutions to Lakes’ problems. But what these elders and any other person need to know is that the Governor of Lakes State is one of the problems in the State. If you count the problems of Lakes State then never forget to include the Governor.

The Lakes State representatives both in the National Legislature and the State Assembly concur altogether that the first thing that should be done about the situation of Lakes State is addressing the question of the State Leadership.

The civil society, chiefs, youths and women equally echo the same plea. This appeal has been made many months ago and it was seriously given a thrust by the resolution of the national assembly for the removal of the Governor.

The buck now stops with the President of the Republic of South Sudan. The President should seriously consider acting now upon that resolution by putting into use one more time article 101 of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan.

Lawlessness: 'Cases are never tried'

The President should note that he is not doing that for the National Assembly but for us the common people on the ground in Lakes State. We have given many reasons all along why we want Matur sacked but still I can offer even more: -

First, the Caretaker has allowed himself to be in the mix of all crisis of the State. His public statements and actions have appeared to include to support some warring clans over others. That he is an Agaar whose relatives have disputes adds weight to suspicion that he is not all free of the state crisis.

Generally, as stated by the National Minister of Defense in his address to the National Parliament, the Governor has lost the trust of the people. New wine, new glass!

To embark on the solutions to Lakes State problems, there first must be a new Governor who should start on a new slate. All the other things would then follow.

Secondly, under the current caretaker Governor the rule of law has fallen to its lowest point. Cases are never tried. Police is not free to do its work. Those jailed for murder cases are released under orders of Commissioners and the governor himself.

Instead, it’s innocent people and relatives of the culprits paying so heavily. I attended a rule of law workshop in Rumbek and I was amazed this issue of Governor and commissioners’ interference was raised by Head of Prisons management, the Deputy Police Commissioner and a member of the High Court in the State.

In a case of Kok clashes, it is believed that one of the murderers who is at large up to today was first arrested but the Governor was convinced to let him out since he was an in-law to the Governor’s family. There are so many cases of this same nature. This led to people not handing over the crime suspects.

Role of assembly, chiefs

 The third reason is that the Caretaker Governor has killed all the important institutions in the State. One of these is the State legislative Assembly. Matur makes his own laws out of the Assembly. Any initiative by the Assembly is frustrated and brought down by him.

In one of the instances, a committee for peace and reconciliation led by Hon. Malek Machut was frustrated to an extent that they were not allowed to meet chiefs. Instead, the Governor convened the spear masters to conduct rituals in Akonbuoi. The result was all out clashes across the whole Agaar and Gok within same week.

The fourth reason is all about the chiefs’ salaries. The payment of chiefs’ salaries was stopped from the moment the Caretaker Governor took office. This has slowed the commitment of chiefs and has equally wounded the cooperation between chiefs who are the custodians of the people and the government. Chiefs’ salaries have always been contained in the budgets passed by the State Assembly under the Ministry of Local Government. Why they don’t get their money onliy Matur knows.

Fifth reason: the Caretaker Governor has sidelined the SPLM office in the state. Yet, this is the right office from which his policies are supposed to be scrutinized and improved ot meet the public demands before they are implemented.

Leave alone a question of cooperation with SPLM; he instead leads one of his own. Those in the SPLM office who do not listen to him are told to stay in Rumbek at their own risk. The sixth reason is that the character of Gen. Matur Chut as a Governor does not marry up with an identity of a solemn leader. He is applying very harsh laws that are not workable. He does not know that harsh laws make harsh people.

This article was originally published by Juba Monitor newspaper.

The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made are the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.

Related:

Politics: Lakes governor hits back at parliament over no-confidence vote (26 Aug.)

Politics: S. Sudan parliament votes to remove Lakes State governor (25 Aug.)

Brother of governor shot dead in Lakes state (6 Aug)