𝐃𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐀 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀, Kenyatta Street, Nairobi (2025)

05/09/2025

We are thrilled to report that the lost car we posted about on August 17th has been recovered. Our sincere appreciation goes to whoever contributed to finding the vehicle. 🙏

Do not hesitate to FOLLOW us for more updates. 🙏

Source: Car Owner.

02/09/2025

Wrestling update
Bor county Vs Yirol East county
Main actors,G*i Alier Vs Magak-Aliab Date:27th/9/2025 Venue:Bor
25 days to go

17/08/2025

LOST CAR!

In case you know the whereabouts of this lost Harrier in Juba, please do not hesitate to reach us, we're ready to support each other.

CAR DETAILS;
Registered number plate: SSD 635 CA.
Brand: Harrier
Color: White

Precisely, we urge you to call or WhatsApp us via 0980 283 580 / 0923991880.

Please help us share this post widely! 🙏

09/07/2025

– July 9th, 2025
Fellow Citizens,

By Barnabas Anyuon Agany

Today marks a solemn and sacred remembrance. On this 9th of July, we do not merely celebrate a date—we honor a legacy carved into the soul of our nation with the blood, sweat, and dreams of our brave sons and daughters.

We must remember that the true spirit of independence was not declared from hotel lobbies or signed into existence by suits in air-conditioned rooms. It was earned—earned by those who slept under trees, marched barefoot through jungles, faced bullets without shields, and believed in a dream far bigger than themselves.

Let history remember:
Independence was not gifted. It was fought for.

The armed struggle was not a reckless rebellion. It was a calculated, disciplined resistance. Our heroes—those who laid down their lives—were not just soldiers. They were fathers, mothers, scholars, farmers, and visionaries who said “Enough!” to injustice, marginalization, and the chains of domination.

SPLA Battalions and Their Commanding Officers:

In honor and memory, we acknowledge the gallant battalions and their legendary commanders, whose leadership, courage, and sacrifice paved the road to this day:

1. Tiger Battalion – Commanded by Gen. Thomas Cirillo

2. Timsah Battalion – Led by Gen. Martin Kenyi

3. Mahat Battalion – Under Col. Juac Mawut

4. Lion Battalion – Led by Gen. Oyai Deng Ajak

5. Juba Battalion – Commanded by Gen. Paul Malong Awan

6. Hantoub Battalion – Gen. Peter Gadet Yak

7. Thunder Battalion – Gen. Dau Aturjong

8. Zonal Command Battalions – Such as in Equatoria, Upper Nile, and Bahr el Ghazal under regional field commanders like Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit (then SPLA Chief of General Staff), Gen. James Wani Igga, Gen. George Athor, Gen. Kuol Manyang, and others

9. Black Battalion – Gen. Lado Gore

10. Mortar Units and Engineering Brigades – Under senior officers such as Gen. Elias Waya Nyipuoc

11. Special Forces (Commandos) – Gen. Riek Machar Teny (Deputy Commander-in-Chief)

12. Logistics and Military Intelligence Units – Serving in silence under officers like Gen. Obuto Mamur, Gen. Oyay Deng Ajak

13. Shield Battalion – Col. John Kong Nyuon

14. Red Army Cadre Units – Officers: Maj. Gen. James Hoth Mai, Gen. Charles Lam

15. Division 105 and 104 – Among original Anya-Nya II forces that merged under Dr. Garang

16. Jungle Battalion – Gen. Peter Lorot

17. Eastern Equatoria Command – Gen. Patrick Ohide

18. Northern Bahr el Ghazal Zone Forces – Gen. Atem Aguang, Gen. Malong Yor

19. Mobile Units & Recon Squads – Commanders like Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang, Gen. Moses Lokujo, Gen. Agany Abdelbagi

20. SPLA Air Defense and Signals Wing – Officers like Maj. Gen. Abraham Jongroor

These battalions moved without GPS, supplied themselves without international donors, and fought for a nation that hadn’t yet existed on any map.

Tribute to Our Martyrs and Freedom Fighters:

We solemnly pay homage to the fallen:

Dr. John Garang de Mabior, our founding father and visionary leader

William Nyuon Bany, Kerubino Kuanyin Bol, Arok Thon Arok – gallant liberators

Yusuf Kuwa Mekki – voice of the marginalized Nuba Mountains

Commander Francis Ngor Makiec – unsung but not forgotten

Commander Nyachigak Nyachiluk, Lado Gore, Cdr. Karbino Kawanyin Bol

Akol Ajou, Commander Salva Kiir, Commander Riek Machar—those who rose through sacrifice

Gen. Dominic Dim Deng – SPLA Chief of Staff, martyred in helicopter crash

Cdr. Joseph Oduho – Founding leader and ideologue of the liberation

Cdr. Martin Majier G*i – Revolutionary educator and military trainer

Cdr. Martin Tereso – Leading SPLA strategist

Gen. William Abdallah Chuol – Unity State commander

Gen. Paulino Matip Nhial – Later integrated but sacrificed much in the cause

Cdr. L*l Lual and Gen. Tito Biel – Early SPLA field commanders

Cdr. Moses Chuol Gatluak, Cdr. Peter Par Jiek, Cdr. Alfred Lado Gore, Gen. George Athor Deng

Maj. Gen. Abraham Wana Yoane, Maj. Gen. Isaiah Abraham, and countless field medics, chaplains, signalers, cooks, Red Army youth, and civilian supporters.
.. and tens of thousands of unnamed heroes, who died in silence but whose blood still cries from the soil beneath our feet.

To them I say:

"We have not forgotten you. We will not betray your sacrifice. We honor you—not only with statues or days of remembrance—but by building a nation worthy of your blood."

To Civil Society, Then and Now:

While the battalions defended the people with rifles, civil society guarded the soul of the nation.

Teachers taught under trees

Women smuggled medicine and cooked for troops

Church leaders documented atrocities

Journalists risked death to spread the truth

Students protested, and elders blessed the resistance

They were soldiers without uniforms, but their courage stood tall beside the battlefield.

My Heartfelt Condolences and Prayers

To the mothers who buried their children before ever tasting the fruits of freedom…
To the wives who waited in vain for husbands lost to war…
To the orphans who now carry names of heroes they never met…
To the soldiers who walk with missing limbs and invisible wounds…

I send my heartfelt condolences. I kneel in prayer. I honor your pain. And I promise—your suffering will not be wasted.

A Cry to the Nation: Let No One Sleep

Let this day thunder into the ears of every leader hiding behind silence!
Let it echo through the halls of Parliament, the streets of Yambio, the oilfields of Melut, the refugee camps of Kakuma, and the diaspora in Australia and America.

What have we done with our freedom?

Have we built schools, or silenced classrooms?

Have we replaced Khartoum’s chains with tribal prisons of our own?

Where is justice? Where is dignity? Where is progress?

To every governor, soldier, activist, farmer, and youth—this nation is not complete without you.
Don’t wait for peace to be delivered. Go out and build it.

New Independence Must Begin

My fellow countrymen and women,

True independence is not just from Khartoum. It must now be from corruption, tribalism, tyranny, and silence.

Let us not become what we once fought against.

Let the spirit of unity, service, and justice guide our next chapter.

May the fire that lit our path to freedom continue to burn—not to destroy—but to shine.

South Sudan must now rise not only as a nation, but as a purpose.

To every young person: You are not free until your conscience is free.

To every leader: Do not use your power as a privilege, but as a trust from those who bled for it.

To the world: We are not a failed state. We are a wounded state healing through truth.

Let the 9th of July forever be a day of gratitude, reflection, and national renewal.

My heartfelt condolences, prayers, and honor to all the martyrs, heroes, and freedom fighters who laid down their lives for this great nation. May their sacrifices inspire us every day to build a just, peaceful, and united South Sudan.

God bless South Sudan.
God bless our fallen.
God awaken the living.
God guide us to justice and peace.

07/07/2025

A Country Ruled by One Man and His Pen

By Barnabas Anyuon Agany

In most democratic societies, the pen is a tool for reason, consultation, and progress. It writes laws passed by representatives. It drafts policies shaped by data, debate, and the will of the people. But in South Sudan, the pen has become something else — the decree stick of one man.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit has reduced governance to a string of personal decrees, scribbled behind closed doors and announced late into the night on state-run television. What was once the dream of a liberated, people-led country has become the reality of a nation ruled by one man's pen.

His pen appoints. His pen dismisses. His pen exiles. His pen promotes. No clear explanation. No public debate. No national consultation. Just a decree.

And worst of all — he changes leadership like pants and boxer shorts.
Governors come and go. Ministers vanish without notice. Army generals are shuffled like playing cards. It's a naked display of political madness — stripping dignity from governance and dressing the nation in chaos every morning.

This is not a presidency. It’s a stage play — with one actor and millions of extras tossed away after their lines are read.

The Graveyard of Former Officials

Under Kiir, South Sudan has become a political cemetery — filled with millions of former officials, forgotten and abandoned.
Ex-ministers. Former governors. Ex-commissioners. Fired army commanders. Ex-directors. Former advisors.
You can find them everywhere — seated under trees, wandering in hotels, begging for a return, or reduced to bitter silence. They once had authority. Now, they only have memories.

What kind of government burns through its own people like this?
What kind of leader uses officials like tissue paper — wipe, throw, and replace?

Salva Kiir has built a government of ghosts — thousands of men and women whose careers were killed with ink. No reason. No explanation. Just a short sentence on SSBC: "Relieved."

He rules a country where no one is secure, not even his closest allies. Loyalty means nothing. Competence means even less. His rule is a roulette wheel — and when it spins, even the most decorated servant can disappear.

The Decree Culture: A Sign of Weak Leadership

This overreliance on decrees is not strength. It is weakness in disguise. It shows an inability to build institutions. It reveals fear of accountability. It tells us that the president does not trust anyone — not even the system he claims to lead.

In functioning democracies, leadership is not exercised through surprise announcements but through transparent systems. Presidents don’t just wake up and fire generals or governors like radio DJs spinning the next song. But here, with Salva Kiir, everything is ad hoc, impulsive, and often personal.

His decrees have become weapons of political control, not instruments of national governance. Ministers live in fear of being replaced. Army commanders whisper rumors instead of making real reforms. Even the state governors, chosen by Kiir himself, are more loyal to J1 than to the people they serve.

This is not leadership. This is monarchy masquerading as a republic.

The Cost of One Man Rule

The price of ruling by decree is heavy.
It undermines public trust. It discourages honest service. It kills institutions before they are even born.

This is the death of democracy — not by gun, but by pen. Slowly, silently, one signature at a time.

How many young South Sudanese still believe they can bring change through political participation? How many citizens feel they can hold their leaders accountable when all power is concentrated in one man's pocket?

When one man holds the pen, 60 tribes remain voiceless.
When one man writes alone, millions read in silence — or worse, in fear.

This is not the freedom we fought for.
This is not the peace our martyrs died for.

Real Freedom is More Than Khartoum’s Absence

South Sudan did not struggle for independence just to kneel before another dictator. We did not lose generations in war to trade Arab oppression for tribal dictatorship. Real freedom is not just the absence of Khartoum. Real freedom is the presence of dignity, law, opportunity, and equality for all — Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Azande, Shilluk, and every other South Sudanese.

Yet under Kiir’s pen, freedom has been reduced to slogans. Peace has become a recycled photo-op. Unity is a lie spoken over wounds left to rot.

A Call to the People

This country does not belong to one man.
It belongs to us — the citizens.

We must rise and say: enough.
Enough of being ruled by surprise.
Enough of being governed by decrees, not policies.
Enough of silencing institutions.
Enough of rewarding failure and punishing honesty.
Enough of watching good men and women be broken by one man’s ink!

South Sudan needs a system — not a scribe.
It needs leadership — not loyalty to one man.
It needs vision — not vengeance.

Let it be known: the pen of one man cannot write the destiny of a nation.
We, the people, are the ink.
And our time to write is coming.

04/07/2025

🚨LATEST UPDATE🚨

GARANG ACHUOTH IS EXONERATED.

Garang Achuoth, whom we reported on earlier, has been cleared of suspicion regarding gang involvement in Juba areas. He responded to our post about his disappearance with "I am back guys, thanks a lot". Garang has returned home safely and been welcomed by his family.

Thank you all who shared our post seeking information on his whereabouts. 🙏

Bior Aleer Kok.

04/07/2025

NOTICE OF MISSING PERSON‼️

Garang Achuoth aka Årsênål Limtøn on Facebook, was arrested and detained by security personnel on the morning of July 3rd while traveling to the hospital with his younger sister, who was unwell, in Mapau, Juba. His aunt went to the nearby police station, where individuals suspected of gang activity are often held, but were unable to locate him.
She suspected that the security agents had mistakenly identified him as a gang/crew member, despite his innocence.

If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact the following individuals.

Family contacts:
Diing: +211 924 894 167
Jongroor: +211 922 264 474
Kuer Yoro : 0922936467

02/07/2025

📚 Buy a Pen, Not a Gun – A Call to Wisdom and Peace in South Sudan

By Barnabas Anyuon

In the heart of South Sudan, a choice stands before every parent, chief, and leader:
To raise a generation that writes or one that fights.
And that choice often begins with something as small as what we put in our children's hands —
A pen, or a gun.

🔥 The Current Reality: Guns Before Books

In many of our communities — from Bor to Bentiu, from Tonj to Malakal — there’s an unspoken culture that glorifies the gun. The Dinka and Nuer youth are often handed rifles before they're even taught how to write their names. They're told manhood comes through revenge, through cattle raids, through violence.

In Tonj, young men are poisoned by pride and misguided honor. They no longer learn the stories of peace their ancestors taught. Instead, they inherit legacies of conflict. In places where blackboards should be filled with chalk writings, we're left with empty classrooms and full graves.

This is a tragedy. But it is not fate. It can be changed.

✍️ What One Pen Can Do

A pen is not just an instrument of writing — it is a weapon of transformation.
It is what wrote the Constitution.
It is what signed the CPA.
It is what will one day draft a better future for South Sudan.

Let me remind you:

A pen can lift a child from cattle camp to Parliament.

A pen can turn a village boy into a doctor saving lives in Juba Teaching Hospital.

A pen can help a girl from Aweil write her way to freedom and dignity.

A gun, on the other hand, leaves behind only pain, prison, or a grave.

💔 The Unseen Cost of the Gun

Behind every gun handed to a child is a mother who will cry,
a community that will mourn, and
a nation that will bleed.

I met a young man in Juba last month — only 17 years old — already carrying an AK-47 and talking of revenge. I asked him if he ever went to school. He looked down and said, “No one told me it mattered.” That’s the silence we must break.

👑 A Message to Chiefs, Elders, and the Government

You are the custodians of our values. You are the gatekeepers of our future.
Your silence is part of the problem — your action must now be part of the solution.

We ask:

That you ban the initiation of youth into armed violence.

That you promote school enrollment instead of preparing for raids.

That you call for community disarmament, not just with guns, but with the mindset that glorifies them.

That the Ministry of General Education, local authorities, and customary courts work together to protect the right to learn, not the right to retaliate.

🙌 To Every Parent: The Power is in Your Hands

When you buy a pen, you invest in peace.
When you buy a gun, you sponsor grief.

Don't sell your cows to buy weapons. Sell them to pay school fees.
Don't sing songs of revenge around the fire. Tell stories of wisdom, unity, and the power of knowledge.

🌍 A Vision for a Peaceful South Sudan

Imagine a South Sudan where:

Boys debate in school halls instead of fighting in cattle camps.

Girls lead in science fairs instead of being forced into early marriage.

Communities compete over grades and innovation, not cattle numbers and revenge missions.

That South Sudan is possible — but only if we choose the pen today.

📣 Final Word: Join the Quiet Revolution

“Education is the quiet rebellion of the poor.”
— Barnabas Anyuon

Let our rebellion be peaceful. Let it be powerful. Let it be full of pens, not guns.

If you want your child to be respected tomorrow, put a pen in their hand today.

If you want to stop burying your sons, stop giving them rifles and start giving them books.

Let this be the turning point — from war to wisdom, from revenge to reason, from darkness to light.

✍️ Written by Barnabas Anyuon Agany
Suk Ajou Speaks – A Voice for Peace, Justice, and Generational Healing
🔗 Follow me for more articles that speak truth, challenge culture, and inspire hope.

02/07/2025

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
From: Gogrial East Students’ Association – Wau Campus
Office of the Chairperson

Date: July 2, 2025

SUBJECT: A CRY FROM THE DEPTHS – URGENT APPEAL FOR SUPPORT AFTER EVENT DISRUPTION AND EQUIPMENT LOSS

To the entire Apuk-Lith Community,
To all wise wishers, alumni, elders, leaders, and believers in education and youth empowerment,

We stand before you today not in comfort, but in deep concern and unwavering hope. This is not just a letter—it is a cry. A Chairman’s cry. A students’ cry. A cry from the next generation of leaders who believe in books, not bullets. Who believe in education, not violence. Who believe in unity, not division.

On November 10, 2024, the Gogrial East Students’ Association (GESA), Wau Chapter, hosted a peaceful fundraising event at Dier-Akook Primary School. The goal was noble—to raise support for academic programs and student-led development initiatives. But instead of encouragement, we were met with disruption.

A group of youths from Marial Wau forcefully interrupted the gathering. While, by the grace of God, no lives were lost, the damages were serious and heartbreaking:

One (1) laptop lost

One (1) borrowed sound system stolen

Twenty-two (22) institutional chairs seized (later recovered)

The consequences of that day didn’t end there. On June 23, 2025, the owner of the borrowed sound system, acting within his rights, filed a legal complaint. This led to the temporary arrest of our Chairperson—not for mischief, not for corruption, but for simply trying to uplift fellow students and serve his community.

As a leadership, we are exhausted. But we are not giving up. As students, we are shaken. But we are not broken. From the beginning of our term to this very day, we have received no material, financial, or moral support. And yet, we have continued to move. Today, we say: we cannot move forward alone anymore.

This is not just an appeal for money—it is a call to conscience.
It is a call to action.
It is a call to community.
And most of all, it is a call to belief.

We are calling on:

The Apuk-Lith community—both at home and in the diaspora

Our wise elders, church leaders, and traditional chiefs

Our forgotten alumni, who once sat in the very same classrooms we now sit in

Our youth champions, educators, civil servants, and those who still carry hope for South Sudan

Our wise wishers, silent supporters, and every soul who believes that a pen is mightier than a gun

We urgently need USD 2,200 to replace the destroyed laptop and sound system, and to resolve the legal case that still haunts our leadership and activities.

Dear community, helping us now is not just about repairing property.
It’s about restoring dignity.
It’s about defending dreams.
It’s about standing with those who believe in peace, education, and service.

Do not let this cry fall on deaf ears. Let history remember that when students called out in despair, their community responded with love and action.

Let your support be louder than our suffering.

Let us rise—together, as one people.

Contact Us Directly:
Rou P. Arop – Chairperson – 0922212857
Recch Yuot Majok – Finance Secretary – 0928554879

Issued by:
Gogrial East Students’ Association – Wau Chapter
"In Unity, We Rise."

30/06/2025

Malcolm X: The Voice They Feared, The Truth We Still Need – And the Leader I Long For in South Sudan

By Barnabas Anyuon

In the long and bitter history of injustice, there are names that echo louder than bullets, and truths that outlive their speakers. One of those names is Malcolm X — not just a man, but a mirror. A mirror to America, a mirror to Africa, and more painfully, a mirror to South Sudan.

Every time I read his speeches, every time I listen to his interviews, I feel something ignite inside me — a fire, a grief, a hunger, a calling. I don’t just admire Malcolm X — I ache for him. I carry him in my thoughts like a prayer I cannot unpray. His fire has become my compass, his boldness my struggle.

He wasn’t just fighting for Black people in America — he was speaking for all the wounded, all the broken, all the lied-to and forgotten across this earth, including us here, in this land of cattle and blood, where we bury too many sons without asking why, and silence too many daughters without hearing their cry.

The Man Who Spoke Without Apology – And Taught Me to Do the Same

Where others whispered their grievances and begged for justice, Malcolm X thundered truth. He refused to sweeten his message to comfort the guilty. And as I sit in a land scarred by tribal wars, injustice, corruption, and forgotten graves, I can’t help but ask:

Where is our Malcolm X?

Who among us will rise without apology?
Who among us will speak truth without fear of guns, titles, or friendships?
Who among us will say, “Enough!” — and mean it?

“You can’t separate peace from freedom,” Malcolm once said. “Because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”

He spoke to a world that wanted us to be quiet. But he didn’t just resist — he redefined. He said, “We are not what you say we are. We are what we choose to become.”
And that is what I want for my people. For my brothers in Tonj, in Bor, in Malakal, in Abyei. For my sisters still living in fear in Wau, Yei, Bentiu, and displaced camps;I want them to walk in truth. I want them to stand tall — not with guns, but with dignity.

A Global Voice, A Pan-African Vision – A Message for South Sudan

Malcolm X did not belong to America. He belonged to every oppressed soul. He went to Mecca. He stood beside African leaders. He saw the chains of colonialism, imperialism, and racism as one web strangling Black people across the globe. And he said something that still shakes me:

“We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock landed on us.”

Here in South Sudan, we are not struggling under white supremacy, but we are strangled by the scars of tribalism, the ghosts of war, and the greed of leaders who have forgotten the people.

And yet, when I remember Malcolm X, I remember that resistance is still possible, that a leader of fire and principle can still rise, even from ashes.

Why Malcolm Still Matters – Especially to Me

Malcolm X matters to me not because he was perfect, but because he was honest.

He made mistakes. He evolved. He turned away from hate, but never from truth. He was willing to die for justice — and in the end, they killed him because he refused to bow. And sometimes, when I speak boldly about the pain of South Sudan, I wonder if I too will be hated for it. I wonder if my honesty will one day cost me something.

But then I remember Malcolm.

And I choose to speak.

Because he taught me that silence is betrayal.

My Cry to South Sudan: Where Are Our Malcolms?

We don’t need more generals.
We don’t need more politicians who smile on TV but steal in silence.
We don’t need more cowards dressing as elders.

We need Malcolms.

We need young men who fear no tribe and serve no greed.
We need women who speak louder than shame and stronger than tradition.
We need thinkers. Fighters. Truth-tellers.
We need orphans who turn their pain into purpose.
We need children from cattle camps who dream beyond cows and guns.
We need prophets without collars and revolutionaries without ranks.

Malcolm X reminds me that the greatest weapon against injustice is an awakened mind. And right now, our minds are wounded, our youth distracted, our voices buried.

But I believe — oh, I believe — a South Sudanese Malcolm is somewhere among us. Maybe in a tukul reading borrowed books. Maybe in a refugee camp, waiting for a pen. Maybe walking on foot, hungry, but thinking, burning, watching.

Final Thoughts – And a Promise

As I write this, my eyes burn, my heart aches. Not just for Malcolm, but for South Sudan. For what we’ve lost, and what we could still become.

Malcolm X was not a saint. But he was sacred to the struggle.
He was not loved by many. But he was loyal to truth.
He was not accepted in his time. But he is still teaching us in ours.

So I say this not with pride, but with pain:
Let South Sudan produce a Malcolm. Let that Malcolm rise — and if he cannot rise, let me be him.
Let me speak. Let me write. Let me fight. Let me love my people in truth, even if they hate me for it.

Rest in power, Malcolm. I carry you in every word.

By Barnabas Anyuon
Citizen. Watchman. Dreamer.

30/06/2025

Dear Beloved in Christ,

Before we enter the month of July, let us bow our hearts in prayer.
Let us not rush into a new month without surrendering it to the One who holds time in His hands.

📖 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” – Proverbs 16:3

Let us pray:

👉 Lord, thank You for the breath of life through June.
👉 As July approaches, we ask for Your mercy to go ahead of us.
👉 Cleanse our hearts, renew our strength, and prepare our steps.
👉 We pray for peace over our families, clarity over our decisions, and protection over our days.
👉 May July not surprise us with sorrow but surprise us with Your goodness.

We are not stepping blindly—we are entering prayerfully.

If you're standing in agreement, comment “LORD, LEAD ME INTO JULY.”

28/06/2025

Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 28th June 2025
Location: Wau, Warrap State – Republic of South Sudan

Collapse of Warrap State Youths Union Election Sparks Calls for Constitutional Reform, Accountability, and Democratic Restructuring

WAU, SOUTH SUDAN – The much-anticipated Warrap State Youths Union Election, held this morning at the Warrap State Coordination Office in Wau, officially collapsed into disarray amid internal community disputes, procedural violations, and widespread rejection of key candidates. The event, which was meant to empower youth leadership and institutional representation, instead triggered mass resignations, inter-county conflicts, and renewed demands for constitutional governance.

◼ TWIC COMMUNITY REJECTS JAMES MALEK DAU’S CANDIDACY

At the heart of the conflict was the Twic community’s outright rejection of James Malek Dau, who declared himself a candidate without following proper community submission protocols. According to the Twic Community Council, Malek’s name was never formally submitted, and his candidacy was viewed as an opportunistic maneuver that disrespected the internal unity and decision-making of the Twic people.

It was also revealed that Malek had discouraged fellow youth leader Ngor—who had submitted his application—from contesting, allegedly citing friendship. This betrayal backfired when Malek appeared without community mandate. His action was condemned as selfish, unstrategic, and dismissive of institutional process.

“As Twic community, we reject James Malek Dau because his application was never endorsed by the council. This was a self-driven mission, not a representation of our will,” one leader said.

His later decision to vote for himself, despite total rejection by his own section and by other counties, was seen by many as a desperate gesture reflecting personal ambition over public service.

◼ MENTAL HEALTH SLUR, FAVORITISM ACCUSATIONS, AND SHARP POLITICAL CLASHES

Tensions intensified when youth leader Mariak Awic launched a bold and public critique of the current Warrap State Community Chairman, Mr. Aliel Akol Mawach, accusing him of tribal favoritism, arrogance, and clinging to power.

“Why do you continue to praise Greater Tonj while ignoring Greater Gogrial and Twic?” Mariak asked. “Is it because you are from Tonj and see your own people as the only rightful leaders?”

He went further:
“You’ve turned this position into a private chair—held for over five years without any review or rotation. You do not respect our counties. You evaluate democracy by tenure, not performance. I am declaring my intention to contest this seat because your time has passed.”

In a response that drew widespread condemnation, Mr. Aliel insulted Mariak:
“You need to be elected first in your own community before you think of leading Warrap State. Also, I shouldn’t speak with you further, because you have a mental problem.”

Such remarks were denounced as undemocratic, unethical, and indicative of leadership that fears accountability. Aliel’s refusal to accept criticism, and his pattern of using his position to silence others, has become a symbol of leadership decay in Warrap State.

Critics have noted that Aliel chairs everything—from being the MC, to Electoral Committee head, to spokesperson for the entire Greater Warrap Assembly—leaving no space for collective input. His leadership model is described as centralized, ego-driven, and incompatible with the youth generation’s demand for participatory governance.

◼ MASS RESIGNATIONS FROM COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Deputy Chairman of the Warrap State Community, Akol Amet, resigned abruptly following the contentious session, citing the toxic political atmosphere created by unchecked leadership and escalating verbal attacks.

Soon after, Secretary-General Rou P. Arop resigned in protest and delivered a courageous, truth-laden critique:

“I resign due to the following serious grievances:

Chairman Aliel Akol Mawach has centralized every role and has eroded collective leadership.

He is simultaneously MC, chairman of the Electoral Committee, and de facto representative of all community interests.

He has ignored and sidelined the Twic community.

We are attempting to conduct elections without a constitutional base.

Leadership has become a personal affair, not a public service.”

Rou’s statement reflects the growing frustration with structural rot and internal dictatorship. He highlighted that the very values the Youth Union claims to represent—democracy, fairness, and shared leadership—have been utterly ignored under the current regime.

His resignation not only exposed the illegitimacy of the process but also inspired others to speak against the status quo.

◼ VOTING SESSION BOYCOTTED AND REJECTED BY MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES

Despite resignations and uproar, the organizers pushed to proceed with voting. However, the session collapsed again when major counties rejected the move.

From Gogrial East, Baak Majook Chan Yak stated:
“We Gogrial East should not proceed with any voting while the core issues remain unresolved. There is no consensus, no transparency. Rushing to vote is both foolish and provocative.”

Gogrial West’s representative, Ustaz Aleu Deng Aleu, affirmed this stance:
“We categorically reject this vote. The Twic community refuses to recognize its future leadership, and this vote would only further fracture our fragile unity.”

Candidate Angelo Biong Atem also withdrew from the race, condemning the process as dishonest and rigged in favor of those already in power.

Yet, in a tone-deaf and symbolic move, James Malek Dau cast the only vote—his own. Many observers labeled it the final embarrassment in an already broken process.

◼ FORMATION OF A STEERING COMMITTEE & AGREEMENT TO DRAFT A CONSTITUTION FIRST

In a moment of overdue clarity, all six counties agreed to suspend the elections and move toward drafting a Constitution before any leadership positions are contested. This marks a shift from ambition toward institution-building.

Provisional steering committee representatives were announced as follows:

Tonj North: Ustaz (pending confirmation)

Tonj East: Nil

Tonj South: Nil

Gogrial West: Ustaz Aleu Deng Aleu

Gogrial East: Deng Maruon

Twic: Representative to be nominated, likely in 2025–2027

This agreement, though delayed and reactive, was welcomed by many as a return to democratic reasoning. It reflects the maturity to build laws before choosing leaders, and to prioritize structure over personalities.

Twic initially opposed the move, fearing the Constitution could delay their leadership opportunity. However, following debate, all six counties agreed that legality must come before ambition.

◼ DEMOCRATIC CONCLUSION

This collapse is more than a procedural failure—it is a generational warning. When elections lack rules, when chairs are treated like thrones, and when youth leaders behave like strongmen, democracy dies in the hearts of the people.

The collective decision to write a Constitution first is not a setback—it is the rebirth of principle. Youth across South Sudan are watching this process and drawing lessons. The next generation will not be fooled by titles or applause. They want fairness, institutions, and truth.

Let it be known: this election collapsed because it was never built on democracy.

And as the courageous words of the now-former Secretary-General Rou P. Arop remind us:
“Democracy must be practiced before it is preached. Let us build the law before chasing the office.”

The future belongs to those who earn it—not those who claim it.

𝐃𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐀 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀

05/09/2025

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