Leave me out of your mess- Bakosoro tells NMC

The former Chairperson of the National Movement for Change (NMC) party Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro has dismissed the allegation advanced against him that he is instigating wrangles in his former party.

In July this year, Bakosoro, who is the Minister of Public Service and Human Resource Development, left his party and rejoined the SPLM party that he bitterly divorced a decade ago citing frustrations.

While ditching SSOA, the minister attributed the need to unite the youth from Western Equatoria State and foster reconciliation as some of the reasons for his political move. 

His mega announcement came at the time that President Salva Kiir was mulling the reconstitution of parliament, which necessitated the appointment of the speaker of the national assembly. At the time, Mr. Bakosoro became a common name in many lips as one of the possible candidates for the job. However, the seat went for the then-acting secretary-general of the SPLM Jemma Nunu Kumba.

NMC wrangles

Last month, the NMC elected its party Secretary-General, Maj. Gen. Moro Issac Jenessio as Bakosoro’s successor.

But the decision never sat well with a rival group within the National Movement for Change which emerged on October 2, 2021to challenge Jenessio’s installation on grounds that the process lacked credibility. 

On October 5, the splinter group responded by declaring Clement Juma Mbugoniwia the party’s interim chairman hence heightening the party disputes as they pulled in two different directions.

Following that declaration, the members of the SSNMC Party allied to the party’s secretary-general Maj. Gen. Jenessio attributed the party’s woes to the influence wielded by former party leader Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro.

The NMC Secretary of Information and Spokesperson Luka Agok Arialbek went on to allege that the former leader could be using cronies left in the party to plot a come-back in the future.

“We are aware of declaration as interim chairperson, because we know he actually [declared] support for former chairperson Bakosoro,” Mr. Arialbek said.

“Bakosoro wants to use Juma to destabilize [the party] so that he can make his way back to the party in case he fails to get what he went for,” he added.

Not me

But in an inclusive interview with former chairman, Mr. Bakosoro yesterday, he said, “I have nothing to do with my former party’s internal affairs. I am enjoying and comfortable in the new party SPLM.”

“I am not part of that mess, yes I have been following them but they have the internal affairs that they need to deal with not me,” Bakosoro said.

“I have been following them on social media, I think the process itself is a mess, and that is the exact problem we South Sudanese have,’’ he said.

He lashed at some unnamed former colleagues who he accused of not owning up to their mess even if their actions are counterproductive. 

“When we mess ourselves, we do not want to accept our mess instead we want to put on somebody,” he said as he added that NMC should not mention his name over their woes.

Asked about the credibility of the election, Bakosoro said the election was not conducted according to the rules, regulations, and constitutions of the party.

“So, now am I the one validating the constitution and how do I do that? So, it is the constitution book to direct them, now they are putting their blames on someone innocent. This is the culture we are developing as South Sudanese, simple- we do not want to accept our mistakes,” Bakosoro added.

“For me, I told them from the beginning to join the SPLM but since they went their way, I am not part of their issues and I am not going to be part of solving their problems,’’ he further said. 

“Unless they want to join the SPLM that I am in but I do not know if I can convince them to join so that we are together on board. Let them go ahead to solve their internal issues,” Bakosoro former NMC Chairman said.