20/06/2026
Stephen Taker Riak D**g Ruei's long decade of Violence, looting and Self-Enrichment.
By PhAM GEDION-BADING J.
Stephen Taker Riak D**g is the Commissioner of Leer County. He is the traditional son of the well-known chief Riak D**g Ruei, Taker was a former local trader who failed in business during his earlier years. For reasons that are not clear, he was appointed as Commissioner of Leer County in 2009, since that time, he has been relieved and reappointed more than four times in the same role.
Taker has taken advantage of the SPLM government system of appointing individuals into positions even when they are not competent or popular among the local people, as long as they are loyal to the system or the appointing authority. Moreover, Taker was not a comrade in SPLM during the liberation struggle. He is among undeserved beneficiaries who joined the party after the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). Despite being imposed on the people, Taker is not liked by most of the Dok community, he has been imposed on the people through appointments.
By far, he is the longest-serving and worst commissioner in the history of the county.
The main purpose of this writing is to show how Taker has been using tactics of buying loyalty and allegiance to remain in his position. During the 2015 and 2018 incidents of violence in Leer, civilians were attacked and killed by armed groups in Unity State affiliated with the government.
It was alleged that he personally invited armed men from Koch, Mayom, and Mayiendit counties, including individuals associated with Koang Biel Char, Bol Mayak’s Terchuong, and Tarir of Gatluak Nyang Hoth 2018 in specific, to help in cattle raids, in which he would own some in return, and way to show his loyalty to Salva and Nguen in their efforts to dismantle and humiliate Dr.Riek Machar by terrorising his hometown, many vulnerable people were killed and large numbers of cattle were taken.
On top of that, to mention just major issues, recent he personally introduced what many consider shameful behavior of giving cattle to the appointing authority, typically way of buying his position, he gave 37 cows to Hon. Riek Biem on his official visit to Leer County after Riek was appointed as Governor of Unity State. However, this was not a gift of goodwill; it was an attempt to gain influence so that he could remain as Commissioner, he was later removed due to calls from the people of Leer County for change.
Due to his unstable politics and lack of capacity, whenever he is removed, he does not or never seek higher positions such as post Governor or national minister. After months, when President Kiir reinstated Hon. Nguen Monytuel as Governor of Unity State, media reports showed that he went to the governor's apartment in Juba at night and cried, this was seen as a sign of loyalty to the governor.
A few days later, he was reappointed.
Three days ago, when the governor had normal official visit to Leer County, before his arrival, Taker called for meeting with chiefs of payams. In that meeting, he ordered them to collect bulls to be given to the governor as a sign of appreciation and allegiance, in the meeting, he warned that any chief who failed to cooperate would be removed, the chiefs had no option but to comply. They collected 21 bulls, which were handed over to the governor in broad daylight at Leer Freedom Square, which was turned into a “Leer humiliation square” by Hon Taker.
This act of giving bulls are widely considered unacceptable and demeaning, it appeared similar to the formal forceful taking of cattle from poor civilians.
Another concern in this context is the removal of chiefs, in which my own Payam chief fall to be his victim. In Nuer customary law, chiefs are democratically elected, and this is considered one of the most established and respected democratic systems.
Even during the time we were still part of Sudan, not even the president had the power documented power to remove chiefs.
Chiefs are only removed by the people who elected them.
Since 2014, Taker has engaged in abuse of power, influenced by the SPLM leadership system of appointing loyal individuals rather than those chosen by the people.
Taker has been seen as having power to intimidate, remove, and imprison chiefs and villagers or common men based on personal decisions. For the chiefs, the ones who fear losing their positions comply with his demands, while those who refused are no longer seen in Leer Town, they are instead in SPLM-IO-controlled areas, which cover a large part of Leer County, where they continue their roles.
Taker also introduced land demarcation around the outskirts of Leer Town to enrich himself. According to a person close to him and been working in his administration for a long time, he now owns up to 15% of every zone he demarcated. He also introduced a system where individuals or subclans he called landlords own 50% of every zone, which was designed for his personal benefit.
This has created conflict among people who were previously neighbors before the demarcation.
One of the disputed areas is Rubjiech.
It is said that he personally demarcated it and now owns up to 15 plots of land there, whereas he previously had none. My late father was also affected; apart from his graveyard, all our well-known land was taken under what is called the landlord ownership system.
Taker’s pursuit of wealth and power is what makes him the worst commissioner in Leer County, in my personal opinion, Taker has no qualities of leadership except his strong voice and silver tongue for persuasive speech, which he uses to influence people.
Therefore if commissioners were to be elected, there would be almost no chance for him to hold office,however, possibly in the future, when new leadership comes in, people like Taker may face justice or be removed from public life for what they have done to the people.
In conclusions, this article is based on facts, real evidence, and opinions.
You can react to it at your own pace and feeling.
More importantly, the Honourable Commissioner Stephen Taker Riak D**g still holds a chance to correct his past as highlighted in this writings.
Note: The writer cannot be reached, in case you want to reach out to him, try again later.
