Juba
SPLM National Secretariat member and technical advisor on popular and syndicated organisations Acuil Banggol has written an open letter addressed to Gen. Kuol Manyang, calling for fundamental internal reforms to the SPLM leadership.
Written following Gen. Manyang's comments on the state of the SPLM last week, Banggol has recommended a variety of restructuring programs aimed at enforcing the legal provisions governing the party in a legal, constitutional manner.
The full letter is published below:
Compatriot, Cde Lt. General Engineer Kuol Manyang de Juuk Member of SPLM Political Bureau Senior Presidential Advisor to RTGoNU Juba, The Republic of South Sudan
CC: All SPLM Structures and Organs, media
If your comradeship may allow!
Ref: Call for A Revitalized, Rejuvenated SPLM!
Your Comradeship,
It is without any prejudice to constitutional jurisdiction that I am solemnly with humility and esteem regards that I am seeking from your comradeship to allow me to obligingly make the following submission.
Guided and enthused by my commitment to realize SPLM Constitutional mandate that: In accordance with my membership rights under article 8(7) of SPLM Constitution 2008 amended 2016, I could suggest proposals, raise questions and submit petitions either verbally or written to appropriate organs of the SPLM and to receive timely answers.
Cognizant, compassionate and unwaveringly dedicated to disseminate and promote awareness amongst my comrades at all levels and/or of SPLM at relevant party’s leadership, structures and organs to remind anyone and collectively that: Article 9(18) of SPLM Constitution 2008 amended 2016 mandates on SPLM member that: When holding a constitutional, executive or legislative position at any level of government, he or she shall be a member of the SPLM caucus at that respective level. Article 24(9) mandates SPLM National Secretariat roles; mandated under respective provisions on roles of states, counties, payams and bomas secretariats to: Regularly provide guidance and coordination to the SPLM leagues and the SPLM caucuses in the legislature, the executive; Article 8(9) of SPLM Constitution 2008 amended 2016, allows me to request where necessary the implementation of constitutional provisions, directives and resolutions by the party and its leadership.
Steadfast to realize the Constitutional provision of: Article 30:(1) The Technical Advisors shall: (a) Provide technical advice to the Secretariat on matters pertaining to their respective areas of expertise; (b) Assist in developing SPLM basic documents, policies and strategies; (c) Provide technical support to the various committees and working groups of the Party; and (d) Liaise with the relevant National Secretariat and respective secretariat at all levels of party structures and organs; on issues related to their respective areas of competence. Letter to Cde Lt. Gen. Engineer Kuol Manyang de Juuk, March 24, 2021 Page 1 of 4
My Senior Compatriot Having keenly listened to your interview by Mathiang Cirilo Show, March 2021; I stand to agree with most of your statements identifying challenges now bedeviling South Sudan and hindering SPLM political party efficiency and effectiveness to accomplish its mission. It is only through such honest and precise identification of the challenges when amicable solutions could rightfully and timely be identified. Likewise, would there be a chance for correct identification of accurate causations. Divergent views wouldn’t be uncommon; but it is patriotic and it is a leadership responsibility not to allow non-basic contradictions to become basic. Mutualism and dialogue the answer.
You are not alone! There couldn't be any two members at any levels of SPLM who wouldn’t echo your patriotically stated status of SPLM and its mission. This is not your first time nor would anyone expect it to be the last time. Chairman Kiir didn't mince his words during the Lobonok Retreat 2020. At SPLM Lobonok Retreat identified challenges and resolved solutions could be equally judged as is echoing your stated views. Chairman Kiir speech on Martyrs Day, July 30, 2013 was explicit on the same. Chairman Kiir directives during the inaugural opening of SPLM House in Juba talked about the same challenges and the way forward. His comradeship explicitly directed SPLM National Secretariat to dedicate designated weekdays for SPLM caucuses in legislature and executive and National Secretariat to separately or jointly meet with SPLM Chair and leadership. I recall your comradeship scheduled weekly meetings with SPLM State Secretariat in Jonglei State under your SPLM State Chairperson leadership. Hon. Governor Engineer, Amb. Chol Tong Mayai adopted scheduled weekly meetings at Lakes State SPLM State Secretariat. Your leadership implemented SPLM National Secretariat guidance advising SPLM State Secretariat positions to be assigned to SPLM constitutional position holders. Your leadership and that of Western Bahr el Ghazal and Central Equatoria States implemented SPLM National Secretariat advice and guidance to appoint SPLM State Secretary as Senior SPLM Advisor to the governor. At National Secretariat it is selectively being implemented. SPLM Secretary General could have been, in accordance to globally acceptable best practices, appointed as Senior Presidential Advisor to an SPLM-led Presidency or a President. I have no explanation. Time alone is now telling us.
Let us call for mutual and collective responsibility to rejuvenate SPLM by adhering to party basic documents, resolutions, and directives by SPLM leadership. Calling for SPLM reorganization or restructuring is doable within legal provisions governing SPLM structures at national to boma and their respective organs. These are conducted every five years or via extra ordinary meetings. What is needed is a mental transformation, from rebellious, revolutionary, personified loyalty, dedication, reward, and entitlement mentality, whose time is gone, into systematical methodical, institutional structures, constitutional mentality, knowledge-based pragmatism, professionalism and patriotism. This is achievable only if our senior cadres at any level of leadership would be ready to become party cadres instead of this entitlement mentality suffering from acute cluelessness about what a party institutional culture entails.
A party institutional culture could be measured by intensity and level of inter and intra SPLM party discipline in adherence to SPLM party institutional culture. In that any SPLM caucus member at respective level of the executive, legislature, and civic engagement must adhere to mandated provisions under articles 9(9), 9(18), and articles 24(9) read together with responding articles on roles of SPLM Secretariat at national to the boma and article7,8,9 and 10 on membership. Provisions of article 8(2) of SPLM Constitution 2008 amended 2016 mandates that: Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-Article (1) above, a person joining the SPLM in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of this Constitution, shall be subjected to screening and political orientation by the appropriate Party Organ prior to nomination for election or appointment to any leadership position in the Party. This should include SPLM members joining SPLM caucuses at executive, legislature, leagues and any SPLM-led civic engagement. This is missing. Any pretend not read, understand, owned and adhere too is indiscipline. A patriotic genuine SPLM member is to do a self-assessment to rejuvenate SPLM.
Senior Compatriot Your appointment as the senior presidential advisor to RTGoNU was and is being celebrated but explored to maximize SPLM institutional capacity. For me my expectation was not meet. I am humbly sharing with you my expectations. My expectation is in this humble appealing to your comradeship to take leadership in this process in enforce SPLM National Secretariat roles to guide and coordinate SPLM-led endevour to liberate individuals and the society from any vulnerability and to adopt institutionalism and constitutionalism within SPLM perspectives.
I stand to be corrected however, SPLM political party is inflicted with noticeable (a) acute cluelessness and, leadership power distancing exacerbated by grave disconnectedness within and across party leadership, structures and organs, (b) dysfunctional party institutionality caused by none adherence to mandated, rules, regulations, procedures supposedly institutionalized guidance and coordination, (c) ineffective party political work in public administration and in SPLM-led civic engagements and (d) worst still is the pitiful caused by those trusted members of SPLM who contested, won elections and/or appointed as SPLM flag bearers to implement SPLM’s agenda and supported by SPLM but would not be abiding by SPLM basic rules and regulations. This has surface as an institutionalized indiscipline committed against provisions of article 24(9) mandates SPLM National Secretariat, read together with respective articles on roles of secretariat at states to bomas on mandate to regularly provide guidance and coordination to the SPLM leagues and the SPLM caucuses in the legislature and the executive at respective levels countrywide. Your comradeship reputation leadership trait and quality is an asset that could enable SPLM National Secretariat to establish institutional culture supportive to SPLM party roles as a governing political party. This could without fail enable the party to effectively and efficiently translate SPLM agenda, resolutions and directives into methodical knowledge-based SPLM program and actions. This is doable! SPLM National Secretariat could invest to explore your leadership traits and quality. Through SPLM National Secretariat and SPLM caucuses any needed expertise and knowledge-based research, programs and actions could be passed into SPLM-led leadership and components countrywide. With this in place; it is expected that your roles as senior advisor to presidency in RTGoNU could be pragmatic, professional within SPLM’s perceptions, perspectives and interpretations. Through scheduled, trainings, orientations and briefings transformational leadership could systematically be enforced.
If Your Comradeship May Allow! As a contribution towards departing from the disconnectedness past, SPLM National Secretariat for Planning and Economic Affairs, supported by a team of consultants is seeking to meet with your comradeship as soon as your comradeship may allow. This is to brief your comradeship on a draft South Sudan National Economic Policy (SSNEP) 2021 framework. This process is suggested to seek accreditation and validation from the then interviewees and relevant secretariats. Following this, proposed policy framework, as mandated, shall be presented to SPLM Political Bureau for approval and implementation. However, alongside this the team is aware of needed one-on-one engagement of SPLM leadership, members and rank and file. The purpose is to wider ownership, inclusivity while ensuring the much-needed back up and support during mandatory SPLM Political Bureau briefing, discussion and approval.
SPLM led SSNEP 2021 Framework is methodically designed with awareness to depart from previous path when SPLM liberation and elections manifesto could only be made into policies and hopes. A four-tracks strategy is now adopted. This communication with your leadership is one such a track. SSNEP2021 Framework aims at creating wealth, jobs to meet increasing population of jobs seekers, productivity and improved infrastructures through enhanced indigenous and direct foreign investment. The policy framework is a response by SPLM and a commitment to translate provisions of chapter four of R-ACRSS 2018 into policies, legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks to govern desired knowledge-based program and actions. SPLM leadership, rank and file in collaboration with likeminded political parties and signatories to R-ACRSS shall be mobilized within new literacies putting South Sudan above all. SSNEP 2021 framework is designed within SPLM perspective responsive to global, regional and national changing contexts and demands for modernity, sustainable development goals (SDGs) by ways and means to seek collaborative strategic partnership towards a peaceful and prosperous world.
Allow me of this opportunity the assurance of worthy high regards and obedience.
Acuil Banggol
SPLM Technical Advisor on Popular and Syndicated Organizations
SPLM National Secretariat, Juba, SSD +211922722700 or +211916674771
Comments