05/10/2025
Senior SPLM and community leaders in Upper Nile back President Kiir’s choice for governor
Top SPLM figures and community leaders from Upper Nile State have thrown their weight behind President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s appointment of Jacob Dollar Ruot as the new governor.
All three SPLM Political Bureau members from Upper Nile — Simon Kun Puoch, Stephen Dhieu Dau, and Rebecca Joshua Okwaci — have publicly expressed support for the President’s decision, calling it a step toward unity and stability in the state.
A source close to the SPLM Secretariat said community leaders from all five tribes — Nuer, Chollo, Dinka, Maban, and Koma — have also welcomed the appointment, describing it as a balanced and inclusive choice.
Prominent figures backing the move include Dinka Padang elder Deng Joh Angok, Maban leaders David Unyo Demey, Paulino David Ketta, and Luka Sadala, as well as Nuer leaders Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, John G*i Yoh, and Gabriel Tut Gatchai.
