Juba, South Sudan,
July 25, 2021 – South Sudan First Vice President and Chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) Dr. Riek Machar has been dragged into ethnic-based clashes between the Azande and Balanda tribal groups in Tombura County of Western Equatoria State.
This comes after Jackeline Gaza, a lawmaker from Balanda, won the nomination as the deputy chairperson of one of the Specialized Committees in the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly in a democratically organized election on 12th July.
However, a credible source told Nyamilepedia that two SPLM-IO lawmakers, Nuna Roda and Paul Baba, all from Zande, petitioned Machar to revoke the nomination of Ms. Gaza after initial endorsement.
The source said the two legislators are lobbying for the position to be given to either of them. They went on to assert that failure to act according to their demand would mean Machar is backing the ongoing violence against the Zande by empowering Balanda.
“You know it is bad, the two SPLM-IO MPs, Hon Nuna Roda Ndefu and Hon Paul Baba both from Zande tribe ganged up against their colleague Hon. Jackeline Mathew Gaza for a position days after Hon. Jackeline competed and won a position of Deputy Chairperson of one of the specialized committees in the R-TNLA,” the source said.
“But due to the mindset of some of our people that Zande in WES is only the majority tribe to lead, the two disgruntled legislators have decided to go behind doors to petition the SPLM-IO political bureau, requesting for the position to be taken away from their colleague Hon Jackeline Gaza and be given to one of them,” the source added.
“The tribal issues in WES is now slowly cracking the strong walls of the SPLM-IO and forcing the hands of Machar to commit injustice against women’s participation in leadership and against a minority tribe in case such decision is made or if Machar makes changes to the agreed nomination in our recent meeting,” the source added.
The event coincided with the declaration of Jemma Nunu Kumba as the Speaker of the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly who also hails from Zande.
It also followed the defection of Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance back to SPLM. Bakosoro is a Zande.
The ongoing intercommunal violence between the two dominant ethnic groups of Tombura County has claimed lives and sent thousands into displacement.
According to the WES governor, Alfred Futuyo early this month, Jemma Nunu Kumbo and Gen. Patrick Raphael Zamoi were behind the conflict, inciting Zande against Balanda.
