Petition to remove Governor Denay and relatives over nepotism, political corruption and embezzlement of funds

Press Release,

By Members of South Sudan United Movement 

UPPER NILE STATE REPRESENTATIVES. 

Ref: SS0621-M201 

To: H.E Hussein Abdelbagi Ayii Akol. 

Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan,

July 2, 2021 —  The members of South Sudan United Movement and South Sudan United Armed Forces (SSUM/SSUAF) of Upper Nile State are requesting an immediate political intervention from your office and affiliated SSOA Parties leaders too suspend and cancel all lists of members of Upper Nile State that were submitted to your office as representatives of this particular state.

Those members were illegally selected by Hon. Denay without Consultations from UNS members. Surprisingly, the individuals awarded positions to represent Upper Nile state appeared to be from Unity and Jonglei states. The UNS members condemn and reject this unlawful and fraudulent nomination. We are anxious to obtain details of power sharing ratios that are allocated for SSOA as an umbrella for parties to the Revitalized Peace Agreement in accordance to SSOA power sharing Guidelines. 

Hon. Denay has committed numerous political corruptions that include violation of the  national constitution and multiple violations of the party manifesto. The loyal members of SSUM/SSUAF from Upper Nile State have been neglected, rejected and demoted under the leadership of Hon.Denay. We have not been allowed to participate in various tasks (positions) demonstrated in the Revitalized Peace Agreement. Our Members have faithfully submitted several lists of their qualified candidates who were determined eligible for National and State government posts but all were trashed by Hon.Denay without any explanations. Our members demanded answers as to why he failed to submit the correct list to higher Authority.

Hon.Denay has been imperatively appointing his close family members and friends to occupy vacancies that are allocated to UNS members. According to the power sharing matrix of the 10 States of South Sudan, Hon .Denay smartly collected seats from the 10 States like every other party but awarded them to his family members and friends. The least we know, all national and state positions were exchanged in the black market by Denay for positions in Jonglei and Unity states, and politically neglected other 8 states, awarding them nothing.

Although, majority of the party’s membership came mainly from three states of Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states, Upper Nile remains with zero representation in the national and state governments. Hon.Denay failed to professionally and equally assign tasks to party members based on their legal state representations, qualifications and capabilities. Instead he appointed representatives  based entirely on nepotism and ignorance. He prioritizes his relatives to occupy most positions in the national Parliament and Jonglei State assembly. 

Hon. Denay, as the chairman of SSUM/SSUAF, refused or intentionally neglected our members from the start of the implementation of the current Revitalized Peace Agreement. 

To prove  our argument, Hon.Denay:

1. Refused to work closely with departments that were officially formed by Late General Peter Gatdet and opted to centralize all the powers within the party.
2. Refused to pay transportation allowance to designated cantonment sites in Upper Nile state.
3. Failed to appoint representatives from Upper Nile state leaving the UNS with zero representation in all mechanisms (Junior & Senior officers),
4. Refused to re-appoint position of Deputy Chief of staffs for Administration.

We believe Hon. Denay has been bargaining political opportunities and exchanged all the Upper Nile state positions for positions he wanted to claim in Jonglei state for his close family members.

Ultimately, we believe his goal was to obtain golden opportunities in the national parliament in and  in Jonglei state Assembly to secure his back. This plan seems to have worked and therefore he managed to appoint at least three family members from the same county and the same buma into the national parliament of South Sudan, and more other into Jonglei state assembly.

The same scenario happened when he appointed those officers, who were supposed to represent SSUM/SSUAF in various mechanisms. Instead of appointing members from all the 10 states, he decided to appoint only his relatives and friends from Jonglei and Unity states. Mr. Denay is the worst form of corruption this country has ever seen. He failed to understand that his discriminations against party members from other 8 states has been discovered and it constitutes a severe violation of the party manifesto and SSOA‘s leadership code of ethics.

Following the fact that Denay has been administrating legal and social activities of SSUM without seeking supports or endorsement from members of the party, he intentionally dodged party’s general assembly for the last two years. Taking advantage of humbleness of the members, he diverted party’s funds and other resources into his private investments. Even worst, Denay tried to block other intellectuals and party leaders by trying to be the chairman of the party without a deputy, no secretary General, no finance and all other positions.

Therefore, today our members are calling for feasible and inclusive party structure but this cannot be achieve when Denay is still and governor, and his relatives and friends are holding all the key positions on behalf of the party. We want them removed and sent back to us pending investigation and re-appointments.

We appealed to peace partners of SSOA to help and guide SSUM members during this process of rescuing our fallen Party. Hon.Denay has unpredictably reversed the path of the party, distorting its mission and vision following the unfortunate departure of its most profound leader, Gen.Peter Gatdet Yak.  Feeding on the carcass of the late, now the party becomes his personal belonging, kept in the  briefcase and moving around with it between Bor and Juba.

SSUM does not have other delegates or representatives working in SSOA. When Denay Jock is away on his governorship duties in Jonglei, our party is never represented.  Our members are desperately looking for a meeting. We want to meet one another to discuss issues that are affecting our party and its activities. We want to create platforms, which will move the party forward for a successful mission without any discriminations.

Furthermore, we are expecting your esteemed office to ensure fair appointment on the awaiting national secretariats, independent commissions and external affairs employees that are yet to be appointed. Hon Denay must accept that we are members of this party and therefore we deserve positions like others that have been awarded through the Revitalized Peace Agreement.

Hon. Denay must comply with South Sudan Constitutions that gives birth to 10 states. Our representatives to parliament must be appointed on the basis on their qualification and as prescribe by the national constitution. There is no way that 3 MPs can all be appointed from one party to represent only one payam. That is a crime punishable by laws. 

In addition to South Sudan constitution and party manifestor, Denay must review and adhere to the regulations stipulated in the Revitalized Peace Agreement. He must also adhere to SSOA’s bylaws and SSUM guidelines.

We need an urgent and thorough explanations from Denay to mitigate corruption, nepotism and discrimination. We still do not understand his reasoning and how he deprives members from 8 states their rights and participations. 

In sum, Denay who claims to be the chairman of SSUM/SSUAF must be held accountable for dishonesty, political corruption, fraudulent behavior and discrimination. He must be summoned to give absolute legal answers before the authority.

We are therefore, pleading to SSOA leadership to establish a fair and just settlement of the issues we raised and any further disagreements between us and Denay before we are forced to register the case under the Supreme Court of South Sudan for further settlement. Our members need the following undertaken as soon as possible: 

1. Remove all the recently announced MPs who were illegally appointed by Denay to represent Upper Nile State. These seats must be returned to the rightful owners to appoint new candidates or be presented to our appointed candidate Hon.Turok Stephen Keak.
2. We need our three (3) positions from upper Nile state government to be retrieved and returned to us.
3. We need our power sharing positions in the national and state independence commissions including pending under secretariats.
4. We need to re-evaluate SSUAF officers who are participating in various mechanisms to fill up some of our allotments that are still empty vacant.
5. We are demanding for an immediate structuring of the party (SSUM) to include capable leaders from other states. Since Hon. Denay’s leadership term of 45 days expired two years ago, the members of this party requested Denay and SSOA to arrange the conference to exercise their rights to choose their trusted and legitimate body of leadership.
6. We are asking your office to allow SSUM members to form Trustee Board that will instantly manage SSUM universal activity and to makes fair decision without discrimination until the party select their leaders.
7. We want Hon. Denay to provide party financial reports and budgets allocated to SSUM for the transportation of troops to various cantonment sites.
8. Our members need to know why Denay refused to facilitate military personnel to purposed cantonment areas in Upper Nile State.
9. During the internal consultations, the party will demand to know how Denay obtained his leadership skills and qualifications. We therefore, challenged him to explain him in advance on these areas or else, we will take legal measures in the court of law in South Sudan.
10. Denay has intentionally misled not only SSOA but also the presidency and South Sudanese at large by proposing three national MPs on SSUM ticket but the reality is that the trios are immediate family members from his Boma.
11. This by itself prove beyond reasonable doubt that Denay is incompetent when it comes to national matters. The practice didn’t end there, he appointed Jonglei State Secretary General, one among his relatives in order to cement his power in that state.
12. Hon.Denay might have heard of western values and respect for one another but he doesn’t respect anyone often ending up creating crisis. It happened in SSUM party and we are expecting unfortunate and endless mess in Jonglei State, and not to forget the fact that he may not be in good term with the presidency as far as his ego is concerned.

The Following Members signed this petition on behave of Upper Nile State. 

1. Maj. Gen. Phillip Pach Deng. 

Signature: signed.

2. Maj. Gen Turok Stephen Keak. 

Signature: signed 

3. Maj. Gen. Chuol Yak Gil 

Signature: signed.

4. Hon. Dak Jock Nyuon. 

Signature: signed.

5. Hon. Isaiah Both Yuot Chol. 

Signature: signed.

 6. Brig. Gen. Dothoal Dang Deng. 

Signature: signed.

7. Maj. Chapoth Gatkek Tuoch 

Signature. signed.

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