By: Ustaz William Deng Cirrillo: Anti-Rat Member
Not so many South Sudanese have seen governments fall for reasons other than military coups. As part of the bigger Sudan, the only reasons known to Sudanese and now South Sudanese, that led to fall of the governments were military coups. Popular uprisings in the Sudan were few if any happened apart from the recent one that ousted President Bashir.
This understanding has been carried down to South Sudan where the governments only worry about a military coup and keep checking and changing the generals.
The government of South Sudan has never been bothered by the growing discontent among the civil population. So much is happening in the Country that can drive the masses against the government.
All the unfortunate happenings in the Country, are connected with one Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, a Powerful politician, Business mogul and a senior Security Officer who has controlled the Financial and the Oil Sectors of the Country.
The following are just but a few unfortunate schemes of Benjamin Bol Mel that have made the government of South Sudan very unpopular among the citizens;
1. Mixing Politics with Business:
Dr. Bol Mel is the Most Powerful SPLM deputy Secretary general. In fact, he is the defacto Secretary general with Lam Both playing minimal or ceremonial duties at the General secretariat. Benjamin Bol Mel is using his SPLM position to intimidate all the heads of financial institutions from the Ministry of Finance to National Revenue Authority.
The top priority when it comes to payment priorities by Financial Institutions are Bol Mel’s Cheques.
Failure to priorities his payments will lead to immediate sacking of the said official in any given financial institution. All the payments are made to his private businesses and companies.
It is well known the world over that any government official that does business cannot draw a line between his own resources and those of the government. The line has always been so blurred that so many use their positions in the government to enrich their businesses.
This has been rightly described in books as a grand corruption punishable by law. Other governments of the world have gone ahead and made it a law that no government official, whether senior or otherwise, should get involved into businesses while serving in the government.
A part from his position as SPLM deputy Secretary general, Benjamin Bol is serving as a Presidential Advisor on Special programs, a position he has used maximally to extort many from all financial institutions.
Intimidation of Government Officials and infiltrating sovereign Institutions.
The oil sector, Ministry of Finance, the Bank of South Sudan and the National Revenue Authority are very synonymous with Benjamin Bol’s private business enterprises. A part from packing them with his handpicked sycophants and stooges, Benjamin Bol Intimidates his appointees and shows them exit doors at the slightest of the mistakes.
2. The Financial portfolios and Oil sector institutions have lost the best brains simply because they did not prioritize the selfish interests of Benjamin Bol Mel over the National interests. Of late, it is clear that Benjamin Bol Mel is the one who hunts for who to appoint in these institutions based on his well-known criteria. The best financial leader to Benjamin Bol Mel is he who does not hesitate to pay the cheques of his private businesses and those of his numerous business partners.
3. Infiltration and capture of the Presidency:
All of you are aware that no single Ministry or Institution has powers to function independently of the office of the President. All the functions of the Government institutions are tied to the Office of the President. It goes without saying that he who controls the office of the President controls the government of South Sudan.
The battle for the control of the office of the President has been a lethal one for Juba power brokers. Different quarters use different approaches to control the office of the President. The undeclared winner of the battle is obviously Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel who seems to have been accepted by both the office and the family of the President.
Benjamin Bol Mel appoints and relieves the Presidential aides at will. The only sin to warrant your exit from the top office of the land is not serving the interests of Benjamin Bol Mel in letter and spirit.
Bol Mel has used his position and proximity to the President to install his own good boys and girls to ensure that he gets handy reports on the activities of the office of the President.
These reports he quickly uses to counteract any moves that may seem unfavorable to his interests. This has caused loss of faith by so many South Sudanese in the presidency as one of the highest institutions in the Country. Others strongly believe that Benjamin Bol Mel is running the Country behind curtains.
4. Denying the South Sudanese Civil servants and Organized Forces their salaries.
It is no longer a secret that it is always an uphill battle to convince Benjamin Bol Mel to allow the government to pay salaries of the Civil servants and the organized Forces. Benjamin Bol Mel collects all the revenues from oil and non-oil sources and uses them for his “Special Projects. “It is always a tug of war between the Ministers of Finance and Benjamin Bol Mel. Bol sees no reason to pay salaries. He only sees enough reason to have his imaginary projects funded. This has caused untold suffering among the people of South Sudan not only due to lack of salaries for ten months but also due to lack of delivery of other essential services such as medical care and educational services.
5.Moral corruption being Financed by Benjamin Bol Mel.
Being a very powerful politician and Businessman, Benjamin Bol Mel has used his position and ill-gotten wealth to fund moral decadence in the South Sudanese society. Bol has a plethora of business partners whom he has purchased expensive apartments in foreign capitals. Some of these horrible business partners engage in very informal activities which harm our nation state in a number of ways I can not describe here for that might be judged personal.
A keen reader of the political situation in the Republic of South Sudan will never fail to read that Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel has caused more harm than good to the government of South Sudan and the first family through his selfish activities.
His names are on the lips of all the South Sudanese in connection with all the ills he is causing in the Country. It is very unfortunate that so many people see no difference between Bol Mel and the President anymore. Bol Mel Businesses, the government and the first family are so mixed up in the minds of the public to the extent that hatred for Benjamin Bol Mel can easily spill over to the government and the first family.
It is incumbent upon H.E President Salva Kiir Mayardit to save the image of his government and his own legacy by trying to loosen the tight grip of Benjamin Bol Mel on the government and the National Resources. Benjamin Bol Mel should concentrate on one field of his interest. If he is a politician, he should abandon business and military. If he is a businessman, he should stir clean from government, Military and party politics to allow the Country to heal. This is the only way to avoid the wrath of the anger of the down trodden masses.
