Protesters in Aweil West and North counties, which are being carved from Northern Bahr el Ghazal state to form the proposed Lol state, have blocked supporters of army Chief of General Staff Paul Malong Awan from holding political rallies in the area.
The incident is the latest development in a political power struggle in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, which President Salva Kiir has ordered split into two new states–Lol state and Aweil state which comprises Aweil East county.
The break-up of Northern Bahr el Ghazal throws into question the political authority of Malong, who is the chairperson of the original state’s SPLM party. Malong’s detractors contend that he is trying to maintain power in the two new states.
On Thursday, Malong’s supporters tried to hold rallies which were meant to publicly introduce changes to the Aweil West and North SPLM offices by replacing some elected office holders. The rallies were to be led by Aweil state political advisor Jel Mangok Jel and Aweil East political advisor James Jok Lua in Gok Machar of Aweil North and Nyamalell in Aweil West.
According to Aweil West commissioner Peter Dut Akot, protesters blocked the rallies from taking place despite the deployment of the army on behalf of the rally organizers.
“[Malong’s supporters] came with the soldiers from the army because they were told by their friends and relatives that the environment would not be conducive for them if they insist to hold any rally in Nyamelell,” Dut said.
“The youth were angry and very annoyed,” he continued. “I just calmed them down and asked them to control their emotions. General Paul Malong also intervened and asked them to leave after they called him. He was surprised by the involvement of the army in a political rally.”
Following the shutdown of the rally in Aweil North, Malong’s supporters took their chairs and headed to the local SPLM office where they reportedly intended to hold a meeting to replace the incumbent SPLM chairperson in the county Charles Dut Akol and his secretary John Agany with Atak Longar and Marko Mapioth, respectively.
But the protesters again intercepted them and prevented them from entering the SPLM office.
In Aweil North, Malong’s supporters were able to reach the county secretariat of the SPLM party where they declared former Aweil county commissioner Kuol Athuai Hal as the new head of the office. Kuol replaces Deng Kuel Kuel, who was seen as an ally of Malong’s political rival, former Northern Bahr el Ghazal governor Kuel Aguer Kuel.
‘SPLM structures have moved’
Dut of Aweil West said attempts by Malong to oversee the new states will be unsuccessful.
“They [Malong’s supporters] wanted to come and test whether their idea of wanting all the state governors to be reporting to Paul Malong who still sees himself as the chairperson of the SPLM would still work,” he explained. “This will not work because Paul Malong was the SPLM chairperson for Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, but do we have Northern Bahr el Ghazal state now? No.”
Dut continued: “The presidential establishment order has abolished the existence of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state and this means that even SPLM structures have moved with the new states because these are the same people and the same administrative units which have been divided.”
File photo: Paul Malong