By: Hon. Juma Ali Malou.
As perpetuated by various media outlets that several MPs have been scrutinized and their immunity being lifted because of criminal offenses is the main content of my emphasis, a sitting chaired by Rt. Hon. Speaker Madam Jemma Nunu Kumba on the 25th/4/2023 resolved the waiving of MPs’ immunities on the misconception that the (MPs) have allegedly committed crimes. Which is not the actual case with all of us whose immunities were waived off.
In my case, it happened to be a community based issue, between Mr. Wani Buyu Dyori and I. The genesis of the whole matter came up when the two sections of Mundari Kobura and Mundari Tali were seriously killing themselves in Kworojik and cattle camps around Juba. On the 20-8-2021, I received a phone call that, we the intellectuals, MPs and elders from Tali and Kobura are needed by the State Government for an urgent meeting regarding the unfolding insecurity caused by the Mundari inter-clan fighting to find possible solutions to the killing and cattle raiding among themselves which would lead to dialogue as a remedy to the root causes of the problem.
The meeting was conducted on the 21st/8/2021 at the Government secretariat, Central Equatoria State Headquarters chaired by Hon. Sarah Nene the deputy governor. In attendance were state security advisor, MPs from TNLA, MPs from council of states, state ministers, Mundari intellectuals and elders. Various people spoke pertaining to the dire humanitarian situation on the ground at the cattle camps, thereafter I raised my hand and I requested to pose a question to comrade Wani Buyu Dyori, the Deputy and Acting Chairman of Mundari community, since the chairman Gen. Clement Wani Konga had gone to Egypt for medication by then.
In an attempt to present our views as concerned community leaders and elders to ascertain the exact root causes of the problem(s), my question went this way:- Mr. Wani Buyu, why does Kobura always attack other sections of the community, it happened last time that the Kobura section attacked the Nyangwara of central Mundari cattle camps resulting into killing of people, and raiding of hundreds of cattle, Secondly Clement Wani Konga’s son Engineer Lawrence Clement Konga who came from china few days before, was killed by the same Kobura and you kept silent instead of condemning the unfortunate incidence in your capacity as an elder, the chairman of the Kobura community and in your level as the Acting chairman of the entire Mundari community? And as we speak now in this meeting, the same Kobura continues to carry out attacks on Mundari Tali in a very deadly manner. To worsen it, the youth of Kobura connived with Maj. Gen. Albino Ajak Gore, your own brother who joint ranks with Gen. Thomas Cirilo (NAS) the National Salvation Front fighting the Government around Juba and across Equatoria region yet you are keeping silent. Now is it because you are not aware of your brother’s fatal activities against the Mundari in particular and the people of South Sudan in general, so far Maj Gen Albino Ajak has carried out about nine deadly attacks in which many innocent lives were lost and thousands of livestock looted from their rightful owners or what do you think could be the reason behind your silence?
Comrade Wani Buyu misconstrued this privileged statement of a community meeting and concluded that Juma Ali has betrayed and has accused me of rebellion, that his personal security is endangered. However, the meeting chairperson Hon. Sarah Nene the Deputy Governor told him that anything said in public or in official meeting like this doesn’t amount to any security threat. Due to his level of annoyance, I was requested by the Deputy Governor to withdraw my question such that the meeting could continue which I did. That was the genuine story that led my accuser Mr. Wani Buyu Dyori to open a case against me under case No.4416/2021 under section 131/289 of South Sudan penal Code Act, 2008.
I’m surprised to hear and see that my accuser is calling my question a life threatening, despite the fact that we were sitting face-to-face in a community meeting with dozens of people not just the two of us. He’s deliberately trying to misinform the entire Mundari people, and misleading the National Parliament and even the court where he sued me falsely claiming I’m threatening him. How comes that telling the truth turns to be life threatening and fabrication of falsehood.
My greatest astonishment is the act of surrendering the MPs by the leadership of the parliament, that whoever comes and claims that he has an issue with an MP the immunity is immediately waived off without confirming the truth surrounding the matter. We as the law makers have all the right to be protected so that we protect our government and the constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, but instead Our own institution behaves the other way round and starts treating us like criminals when we are not. If this trend continues then many of my fellow MPs will be more vulnerable despite having constitutional immunity. we deserve all the protection as MPs, I cannot be called a criminal as if I’m found guilty of any criminal offense yet it is totally a clueless finding, unless there’s manifestation of intention to politically harm prominent members otherwise waiving of immunity should be procedural. Significantly this has caused loud outcry in my constituency and at the Mundari community at large.
I genuinely appeal to my constituents to embrace calm and peaceful coexistence and rally behind our mighty SPLM party under the wisest and able leadership of our beloved leader Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit at this difficult moment as I pursue my case through legal means and I also firmly assure the entire people of South Sudan and my beloved Mundari community that the whole issue has nothing to do with the claims that have been labeled against me, that I have threatened Mr. Wani Buyu Dyori life or fabricated false information against him, but rather the whole issue is bluntly politically motivated and completely a character assassination. I’m going to court and believe me, I will walk away free contrary to the ill-intentions of my accuser and those who push him against me.
Thank you all.
Sign……………………………………….
Hon. Gen. Juma Ali Malou Nurein.
MP. National Legislative Assembly
Representing National Constituency No: 12 Terekeka West, SPLM.
Juba, South Sudan.
Contacts, 0920782222 / 0911166600
Cc: Office of the president of the Republic
Cc: NTLA Speaker.
Cc: Council of States.
Cc: TNLA CES caucus.
Cc: Deputy Governor CES.
Cc: CES Speaker.
Cc: All the media houses
Cc: file.
