July 3, 2021 — A former member of parliament, Hon. Bor Gatwech Kuany of Maiwut County, has been left out of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly for the second time this year but this time, he believes to be the only victim.
“The President has reinstated all elected MPs except me” Hon Bor took it to social media.
Bor was elected for the first time in 2010 and has served in the national parliament for years until he defected from the government when Nuer were massacred in the capital, Juba, in December 2013 but he was reinstated when the SPLM/A-IO returned to Juba under the 2015-16 peace agreement.
When Dr. Machar was forced to exit in 2016 following a dogfight among the presidential guards on July 8th 2016, Bor remained in Juba under Gen. Taban Deng Ghai who again reinstated him; however, Taban’s group has been struggling to secure assignments and appointments since the SPLM/A-IO returned to Juba under the revitalized peace agreement.
Bor and other MPs, who are allied to Taban, were initially left out of the RTNLA during the first appointments earlier this year; however, after president Kiir nullified the parliament and reconstituted the RTNLA today, Bor discovered that he is the only former MP who was left out.
“This is to inform the people of Greater Maiwut, those who elected me to the National Assembly , and the people of South Sudan that today, in a Presidential decree, the President has reinstated all the once replaced elected Members of National Assembly except me.” Bor announced through his Facebook page.
Taban dissolved his SPLMA/-IO faction in 2018 hoping to rejoin the ruling party, SPLM. Since then, the group has tried to re-join the SPLM mainstream but without success.Â
Mr. Bor blames his exclusion not largely on his boss, Gen. Taban Deng Ghai, but mainly on the SPLM/A leadership.
“This was a shock to me in the spirit of peace. I don’t see the reason why I could be excluded by the SPLM leadership from the government given that I was elected like all those reinstated MPS.” Bor said.
“I hope the SPLM leadership clarifies the matter to me.” He said.
The disgruntled politician is a well-known outspoken young cadre; however, his SPLM/A membership is in jeopardy, something his former colleagues in SPLM/A-IO are booing him for.
“All the elected MPs from IO are back to their positions but you opted to be in the wrong side and now you are crying back to Maiwut people whom you betrayed yesterday? Please wind back the pages and find out what homework you didn’t do or what you mismanaged” Said Chuol Gai.
“A reasonable person cannot put his or her life in that. As much as I dislike some of your political steps…that you started taking in late 2015 to July 2016, I still like you. Please try to figure out the real reason behind your exclusion since Salva Kiir and Tababn Deng appear to be the ones running the show on your side. For that, you are a good son of the Greater Maiwut who was confused by politics.” Said Duop Chak Wuol.
“When you were a government Chief Whip, you called President Kirr and Dr Riek Machar ( “you two guys”) that’s the reason your name was excluded from the Parliament.” Said another commentator Jonah Olang Nending
