South Sudan’s cabinet affairs minister said it was time for politicians from the Equatoria region to lead the country once the power leaves the hand of the President Salva Kiir.
Minister Martin Elia Lomuro said leaders and people from his home Equatoria region have had enough time supporting others, and that national leadership should revolve between the three main regions of the country.
“We the people of Equatoria region have for a very long time been supportive of other regions whose sons and daughters have had the opportunity to get into the center of the leadership and to control of the affairs of the people of South Sudan,” he said in an interview. “We did not complain because we believe there will come a time for us. We believe that there will be nothing wrong for us now to demand for leadership as well.”
Currently, the government is led by Salva Kiir from Bahr al Ghazal with vice president Wani Igga from Equatoria. Igga’s predecessor was Riek Machar, from Upper Nile, who is now the leader of the armed opposition.
“It was in Upper Nile for many years and now it’s in Bahr al Ghazal, next, if we are fair, should then at least other people think about Equatoria who have never betrayed any common cause of our people?” Lomuro posed. “Shouldn’t the other people have the guts to say it’s time for the people of Equatoria to lead? Shouldn’t they ask themselves why us and not others?”
“Shouldn’t others think that South Sudan is bigger than our individual tribes and that no tribe or region can stand on its own?” he continued. “Shouldn’t they think that it can never be a one or the nation of two tribes while others can just sit and watch? We will not accept.”
Many government officials and their supporters have rejected the proposal to demote Igga to “second vice president” to make way for a first vice president to be occupied by a representative from Riek Machar’s camp.
Minister Lomuro said this proposal is an attempt to deny Equatorians the opportunity to lead.
Lomuro warned that concentrating power by regional alliances leads to political instability.
Photo: President Salva Kiir, Governor Paul Malong (blue suit) and Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Lomuro (black suit) during a public rally in September 2013 (NASS/Thomas Keneth)