He is the person who gave us an exclusive narration about the meeting between South Sudanese President H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit and the former Northern Bhar el gazal Governor Kuel Aguer Kuel. The meeting took place in Presidents office on 01/04/2015 and Governor Kuel was decreed out of office on 14/04/2015. In a short telephone conversation; Johnson Raan narrated how the meeting how the meeting played out between the President and Governor Kuel and here is
The meeting between Governor Kuel and President Kiir
Johnson Raan
On 01/04/2015; South Sudanese H.E President Kiir Mayardit met with Governor Kuel Aguer. The meeting between the two leaders was cordial and respectful. They discussed many issues affecting South Sudan and Northern Bhar el Gazal in particular. After exhausting discussion on National issues; President Kiir then brought up the case of Northern Bhar el Gazal and that was an important case to Kuel. President Kiir acknowledged to Kuel that he read the report which was compiled by the 9 members committee appointed by him and led by Daniel Awet Akot.
The Awet Committees report
This committee submitted their report to the Presidency in February 2015. In the report; there were recommendations made to be put into consideration as the best way to resolve the conflict between the Northern Bhar el gazal Members of Parliament, Governor Kuel Aguer and the former Governor who is currently South Sudan army Chief of General Staff General Paul Malong Awan Anei. General Paul Malong is continuing with his role of being a chairman of the ruling Party SPLM in the NBS State and as the Chief of General. This was a concern that the committee needed to be resolves because General was running a proxy leading while in Juba. The report has not mentioned any particular measures or disciplinary action to be taken against Governor Kuel but rather calls for these some recommendations to be done quickly. These includes:
Reconciliation to be done in Northern Bhar el Gazal and Kuel to return to his position Malong must resign as SPLM chairman in order to work fully on his military role There alleged mishandling of State assets or Government was not established.
President Kiirs decision to sack Kuel
Even if President Kiir read the recommendations enshrined in Awets report; he went ahead with his decision and demanded for Kuel to resign and the two had some exchanges in regard to that decision made by President Kiir.
Excerpt of the conversation
President Kiir said to Kuel, Look; Governor Kuel, I read the report but I need you to resign! Governor Kuel was not pleased by the word but he replied politely, H.E the President; does this report implicates or confirm any of the allegations made against me? No, said the President, this report confirm nothing malicious or wrong to have happened in your work but Malongs protest is too much to be handle in regard to your presence in Northern Bhar el Gazal. I will ask you to submit your resignation then I will see where to put you next.
After hearing all these directly from the President Kiir; Governor Kuel responded by refusing to submit any resignation to President Kiir Mayardit and he said, I will rather be fire from the position than submitting any resignation Mr President. Resigning from the office can be a confirmation of the allegations made against me and iam not going to accept to be drag into what I havent done. I thought the committee had made their work and send these recommendations for you to work on. These recommendations were supposed to be used as the based of resolving the issue of Northern Bhar el Gazal? If this turn out that I have to resign without anything wrong then I wouldnt
President Kiirs position on this issue was clear and he was not ready to compromise or take any recommendation as a base to reverse his decision of sacking Kuel. His decision was solely based on the pressure from the army Chief of General Staff Paul Malong Awan Anei. President Kiir was calmed and still respectful to Governor Kuel Aguer Kuel even though they were discussing a hard issue. After the meeting; Governor Kuel left the office of the President with the notion that he will not resign but he left President Kiir with no any other option but to fire him due to the pressure referenced above.
Bhar el Gazal elders meeting to resolve the issue After hearing the tension between the three; 9 elders form Greater Bhar el Gazal met in order to avert the situation in this triangular dispute from General Malong, Governor Kuel and President Kiir Mayardit. The meeting of 9 elders was meant to have a quick solution by either supporting or disagreeing with the decision made by President Kiir. They talked and voted of which 7 people out of the 9 recommended Bona Malual Madut to take their resolution to President Kiir but the decree was read out on South Sudan TV before Bona could go.
Jonshon Raan on claim that Kuel spoke with Dau Aturjong Governor Kuel Aguer Kuel is a senior SPLM members and he will be the last person to fight a meaningless war. He is now in Juba waiting to see what he can do to help this nation while in Juba. He didnt and will not talk with any person waging war against the South Sudanese people.The decree, which was broadcasted on South Sudan TV, made no reference to the root causes or the last minute pressure that made the President to ignore the recommendations made by the team he appointed to investigate the crisis. Governor Kuel was a senior member of SPLM in Juba before he was appointed by the President to serve Northern Bhar el Gazal as care taker Governor. He is now left with one personal aide in Juba and never allowed to travel back to Aweil in order to collect his belongings. Since he was sacked on the 14/004/2015; he has not received any communication from the Presidency since the last meeting two weeks ago. He is not told to go back to SPLM headquarters where he used to work with the ruling Partys secretariat before his gubernatorial position but left wondering. His previous interview with SBS Dinka here.
