The Tumaini Initiative is now Becoming Real and Achievable with Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk as Leader of the Government Delegation!

By: Ateny Wek Ateny

The Dinka folklore tales believe that the mosquitoes were created and placed on small pits. Cognizant of its danger, the group of animals sought someone with big feet to step on the pit to crush all mosquitoes once and for all. The choice went for the elephant – given its large foot. However, the hippopotamus showed its interest to compete with the elephant.

The competition ensued between the elephant and hippo. The latter out lobbied the former. The hippo was given the task of stepping on the pit to kill all mosquitoes. In doing so, the hippo’s foot could not cover the whole pit, and so the mosquitoes escaped and spread to the whole world to date.

To apply this story, the Tumaini was given to hippo to step on the pit with his small foot. Now, the task is given to the elephant at long last. Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk is the true definition of the elephant in this story. As the new leader of our negotiating team, deputized by Hon. Pout Kang Chuol the Minister of Petroleum, and Dr. Martin Elia Lomorö the minister of Cabinet Affairs as the Rapporteur, the government has demonstrated its willingness to seriously engage in Tumaini in good faith.

It was unfortunate, and exceedingly ludicrous, the government’s negotiating was headed by less qualified for the job. Like hippo has lobbied its way as candidates to step on the pit to kill mosquitoes, Mr. Albino Mathem Ayuel managed to sway the President to take the impossible job for himself. It was wrong in the first place. As a result, Mathem’s leadership of government team, has seriously demoralized the most formidable and experienced SPLM’s cadres like Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth and Hon. Dr. Akol Paul Koordit to take low profile during the negotiations— hence, the necessity to replace the entire team.

The Tumaini was almost becoming a laughingstock with Mathem as its leader, at least on the government side. Imagine, the holdout groups now include some former SPLM top echelons inter alai; Gen. Pagan Amum, Gen. Oyai Deng Ajak, Gen. Paul Malong Awan and Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang etc.

To see Mathem Ayuel leading a team to negotiate the then senior SPLM/A Commanders, was not only queer, but unbecoming. A job once held by Cde. Nhial Deng Nhial and Dr. Bernaba Marial Benjamin as respective Chief Government’s negotiators could not have been simply given to a mere American nigga with nothing to impress anyone with. We must show genuine faith so that we are believed by others. We can joke about everything. We are not banana republic where anything is possible including putting wrong men/women in the right places. A reputation doesn’t come by mere good luck.

Finally, I am grateful the government delegation has a leader now, and with robust team. The inclusion of Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, Cde. Rebecca Joshua Okwaci, Amb. Beatrice Khamisa Wani, and Martin Abucha the Minister of Mining to say the least is now looking like the replica of the SPLM/A’s liberation days when some of those names were the true negotiators. I have no doubt Micheal Makuei Lueth and Dr. Akol Paul Koordit could still be maintained in the team, and they can perform in the best way. Makuei was exceptional during the RARCSS negotiations in Khartoum, so why Tumaini? They were just demoralized under Mathem Ayuel’s phantom leadership of the government negotiating team.

Otherwise, negotiations in good faith are always determined by the type of leadership placed on top of the team. It was bad in the first place to put the ram on top of roaring lions. This could demoralize all the lions to think they are mere small rams unable to approach small ewes for the day out. So, Kuoldit and his team should negotiate in good faith, sign it, harmonize it with previous valid agreements and bring it home once and for all. But something must be done to let Gen. Thomas Crilio Swaka join the peace wagon, or risk being declared the Joseph Kony of South Sudan.

The writer is the former Press Secretary in the Office of the President, and the views expressed in this article are his own, devoid of anyone’s views directly or indirectly. He could be reached by email: atenypokerwek@gmail.com