08/07/2024
IMPORTANT REALITIES about the Minister of Water, Resources and Irrigation, Hon. Pal Mai Deng?
I believe, a lot of people want to know what I'm about to reveal!
Well, before we get into details, I want to walk you through his brief introduction: where he comes from, how he swiftly forthcoming to this level, and all other basic information which will guide you while going through his comprehensive background.
Hon. Pal is one of the top young emerging politicians, hailing from the eminent Lou Nuer Community, located in the Southeastern part of Jonglei state, Upper Nile Region.
He particularly originated from a small clan, (Nyääl Mach community).
Nyääl is one of the dominant communities at the Western part of Akobo County.
His mother, Nyalola Koang Chak Key, is a daughter to a well-known elder, Koang Chak Key from Chie-Pech Both lineage.
It's one of the major lineages from Chie- Yoal clan. In population, Yoal Joak Sub-clan is highly the major clan from Joak community that occupy the Eastern part of Akobo where the county HQ is located.
Though his paternal lineage was, and continued residing in the West, Pal was raised by his maternal community (Chie-Pech Both) in Akobo East.
He started his formal education at Akobo Primary School. A school that has for centuries produced a lot of influential people in all fields.
He earlier left Akobo for Ethiopia where he became a refugee at Pignido camp and continued his studies at the Refuge school.
In school, he appeared to be one of the brightest students who unchangeably led his whole class from Junior primary up to secondary in series.
During the holidays, he used to open a coaching class (Summer, according to those of Ethiopia) where he would voluntarily coach students who came for vacation before they went back to their respective schools.
At that time, there was a lot of competition among the top students. As such, Hon.Pal and Dr. Kolang Thok Yak, (now a surgeon), once divided their coaching classes, where Pal coached Chie-Yol students while Dr. Kolang on the other hand, coached Chie-Nyak students.
These were all considered as the learning process of upbringing and entirely brought the same benefits to the community.
As I mentioned above, being a bright student wasn't entirely representing his unique quality. Pal was literally identified earlier as someone with great potentiality of leadership. He loves to be a leader!
While at secondary school, he was the first student in Gambella Region to make a phone call and participated in the open discussion at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London.
In School, he had a great influence where he oftentimes appeared if anything related to leadership was discussed, not only as a member, but equally as contestant.
Among the other students' leadership, he was once elected as a Chairperson of South Sudan students' Union in Ethiopia.
Similarly, he co-founded a lot of Associations which today still exist in Ethiopia's Gambella Region.
In his life, Pal was considered as a kind of an introvert. He didn't speak much! He solely intervenes if anything related to, initiation of new initiative, finding the solution of any circumstances, and other official discussion.
Such a lifestyle brought him a lot of enemies! Many folks claim, "He ignores people and singly moves with selective friends."
In fact, this is one of the most demanded characters in the book of "48 laws of power" to prevent you from being common to others and not taken seriously.
Thus, as someone who determined himself and knew what his internal instinct obliged, Pal didn't mistakenly Study a career, contradicting his life.
Instead, he followed his auto-suggestion by studying "The Public Administration at Addis Ababa University."
This was of course, the time, when Addis Ababa University admitted only the well performed students across the Ethiopia."
In earlier, 2011, before the independence declaration, he completed his Bachelor's Degree, and as soon, headed back home.
At that time, a well educated person like him couldn't stay unemployed. Pal was soon employed by Honorable Commissioner, Dr. Goi Jooyul Yol, now PhD, as a secretary in his office. They had worked together and later disagreed on what many people say to be the issue of survey. Of course, I have no extensive information about it.
Added on his duty with a Commissioner, he was among the few individuals who revitalized the Akobo Youth Association (AYA), organized its first official election and brought it back to life after its longest disappearance.
All along, Pal didn't have the chance to step into his political quest, and instead, was preferably optioned to work with NGOs, where he served in various capacity and performed as required.
On 15th, Dec, 2013, fighting broke out and now came as a chance for everyone in the grassroots to have access to the decisions makers of oppositions group.
✓ Inception of his political career.
In 2013, after the war broke out in JUBA, he was on the ground, working with an NGO, "Pact Sudan" , holding the administrative position.
As a matter of fact, Pal wasn't passionate about serving in NGOs.
He uses it as a waiting Zone, since there would be a time to get into where he knew he could be.
Meanwhile, having a revolution where each one is allowed to participate, based on his capacity, immediately pressured him to resign earlier and joined the movement.
In early 2015, he went to Pagak, "The SPLM-IO HQ" , where he later walked the long distance along with other officials to the Frontline, Malakal.
In Malakal, he physically participated in the numerous combats where he eventually came back after the general call from the HQ.
When they came back to Pagak HQ, there was another order that, all officials must go to Booth, "The SPLM-IO Military Training Center."
It was as well, one of the TERRIBLE Frontline in SPLM-IO revolutionary history.
On their way, they had resisted a lot of ambush, defeats, and indeed, had lost the large number of their companions.
In Booth, he was selected among others as a Secretary of the Division, recording all activities related to their work.
The Barrack was in the meantime demolished and captured by the government.
They then evacuated back to Mathiang and later to Maiwut where all those who were not entirely mean to be soldiers, specifically the officials look for their way back.
Hon. Pal was among them! He made it out and proceeded as far as Akobo West, Walgak, where he rested for a while and looked for another job from NGOs.
He successfully made it to Oxfam, as a Human Resources officer.
A position he served-in for a short time and later resigned to go and lobby for commissionership, when the SPLM-IO leadership established the (21) states which made Akobo, divided into three (3) counties.
Hon. PAL never ever failed in lobbying, though he usually encountered a lot of resistance after winning any of his positions.
He was appointed as a Commissioner of Akobo West, with its Headquarters, Walgak.
This came with a lot of resistance from Walgak community after they were fully influenced to reject him.
He later became a Commissioner that you can't believe could greatly be loved the way he was, by the community.
As a Commissioner, his administration was utterly loved by the state government (Bieh state). The state was by then led by the bravest Governor, Late. Gen Hon. Koang Rambang, my beloved nephew, "May his precious soul continue to rest in peace", and his Deputy, Hon. Simon Hoth Duol.
Those three leaders, Late, Hon. Koang, Hon. Simon Hoth and Pal fought tirelessly with invaders to protect the Civil population.
Unfortunately, Late, Hon. Koang succumbed to Asthma, and unexpectedly died.
This came with a great dismay to the entire community for he appeared to be one of the influential leaders with all the qualities of leadership.
He was brave and an orator that, he managed to influence youth to protect their home.
This untimely death happened during the time of war when the government forces were just at the trenches in Waat and frequently attacked people.
This made the SPLM-IO leadership to wait no longer; as soon, Hon. Simon Hoth was pushed to the position of governor and as well, Pal was brought from commissionership to Deputy Governor position.
He had once exercised the duty of Deputy Governor, and later acted as a Governor after the Peace Agreement was signed and all states were switched to defunct states.
When the government was formed and diverted to ten states, Hon. Pal failed to secure any position in the R-TGoNU.
He therefore, planned to go back to school to continue his studies. However, he was admitted at Arb,Minch University to study's MA.
He officially started his classes and completed one year.
In the National government, Lou Nuer Community has only one Ministerial position. It was and still to date the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.
It was by then presumed by Late. Hon. Manawa Peter Gatkuoth Gual.
In June, 2022, Late. Hon. Manawa passed on. The cause was said by the Doctor to be high blood pressure. It happened after a heated week of National reaction about the dredging he signed with the Egyptian Government.
After he died, his position became vacant, and required someone from the very community, "Akobo Community" to occupy it.
In Akobo, SPLM-IO had only some upcoming politicians, since a lot of seniors remain with the Government.
Hon. Pal was one of those upcoming politicians.
At this point, all the influential community elders who had stayed with him during his leadership in Bieh state love him.
As well, they want him to be the successor in the ministry.
In this process, they forced him to leave school and come to Juba for physical lobbying, stressed that they don't see anyone fit to occupy that post rather than him.
Pal listened to their call and came to Juba. In Juba, politics became hot, in which the whole community asked SPLM-IO leadership to substitute the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation with the Ministry of Petroleum.
As I mentioned earlier, Pal had spent a little time in politics, and knew what to do to win his interest.
Despite the others' claims for substitution, he and his Group, stuck to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. They knew, Dr. Machar will easily accept it and give it to him since he doesn't want to trouble himself with Jikany.
This was indeed accepted! He was decreed as a Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation.
This happened with a lot of reactions.
Frankly speaking, I was one of those who extremely rejected this decision.
I condemned it and wrote a controversial article about the unfavorable relationship between Lou Nuer and Dr. Machar.
This was because the appointments didn't happen the way I wish it could be.
From there, I continue to dislike Pal, no matter, what he does!
Despite how enormously we rejected it, all our reactions couldn't stop him from being a Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation.
He was already appointed and could singly prepare himself for work; how he could execute his roles.
As a minister, the task has now become high, compared to his previous duties.
It requires a lot of confidence. Besides, there was a great demand to speak fluently in either English or Arabic for weekly presentations in the Council of Ministers, and other parts of your duty.
Pal was a graduate of Ethiopia! He may speak Arabic wherever he could learn it, but wouldn't entirely qualify him in the highest position like that.
On the other hand, Ethiopia was of course stereotypes, in which, whoever studies there didn't expect to fluently speak English.
Despite, all those expected challenges, he proves it beyond any doubt that, Ethiopia is a remarkable place to study.
Pal speaks in English fluently than some of those who study in the Western world. His presentations are full of technical information concerning his Ministry.
Overall, his confidence in exercising his duty makes the whole community proud.
I later realized that, the reason why, a lot of people, including me lobbying for his removal and criticising him on social media for long but all doesn't get function was because he is rightly capable.
Why do I decide to write these important realities about Pal?
Well, first of all, I want to reveal to each one of you that, among those who were against him, I was one.
In fact, I dislike him based on how people proactively described him before I personally analyzed my attitude and explore more information myself.
All along, I had never been in close contact with him. The first day I came into contact with him and exchanged some words was in 2022, at Dembesh Hotel, when he was appointed as a Minister.
I went there to congratulate him. I met him and greeted him but could discuss anything rather than telling him "Congratulations" and parted.
This was our first time to meet and never introduced myself to him since there were a lot of people.
Before that day, he just heard of me and I equally heard of him frequently.
In the late of 2023, he went to Akobo along with the Akobo County Commissioner as part of the accompanying team.
During that time, I was in Akobo and had met for a short time to introduce myself to him. To his response after I disclosed my name, he said, "You are a strong young man Mr. Khan."
We exchanged these words while standing at the upper sitting area of the commissioner's residential house.
Those were the only few words we expressed and just separated.
He came to Juba along with other delegates and I remained at Akobo.
On 11, January, 2024, I came to Juba for my own business.
In Juba, we just see one another during the events and not discuss anything.
In the last two months, there was a letter widely shared on social media. He was the one who wrote it to the "Peace Canal", requesting their management to free Mr. Koang Puok Diew for he has been too much involved in politics which was mostly against him "Pal."
To be frank, I was the first person to share it, condemning him in the strongest term, possible, and described that act as entirely perilous.
This action I took once connected me with all his opponents who supported what I did.
Of course, I had a chance to hear from the very people who opposed him for long. It was up to me to analyze whether whatever is being said about him is true or not.
I actually chose to analyze them, and not just to condemn him by just following the crowd.
Through my extreme continuous analysis, I wasn't convinced with all the accusations,made.
If I asked someone to express all the negative parts of him, He/she would just express some simple claim, which, if I analyze them, I would simply conclude that the main reason was just a political competition among the peers.
Truth must be told, Pal was before him defined and introduced to the community wrongly.
The way people perceive him is not his real lifestyle.
If you analyze the recent reactions over the letter he wrote to the "Peace Canal" may just make you condemn him like I did if you don't want to find out the reality in anything concerning him.
Ok, if you are someone who wants to be guided by the truth and ask the following questions, you will be convinced that there is some sense to do what he did.
The first question that you may ask is, is Koang a politician?
If you say no, he contested several times for political posts, and if you say yes, he seems to be an NGOs worker. In conclusion, he is a politician unless if we called someone as a politician after holding the political post.
Again, if you feel pity and try to blame him, why does he want Koang to be removed from his job! of course, this is politic and its main objective is to first destroy the strength part of your opponent so that he can't be able to block your ways, which wasn't what we think as laymen like the way I did.
In conclusion, I want to tell you my people that, through my lengthy analysis without outside interference found that Hon. Pal is blameless to what people say.
What many people spoke about him, compared to his positivities after my thoughtful exploration, watching his presentation within and outside the country, how he implements the ministry's projects, his interaction within the city and eventually his political root/influence in SPLM-IO convince me beyond any doubt that Hon. Pal Mai Deng is merely criticised.
If the appreciation is alive, he is one of the few who deserve the community's compliment.
Brought this to your attention in order to denied baseless allegations which were for long time expressed about him while they aren't been there.
Thank you
Mr. Khan Banguot Gok,
The students' Coordinator,
School of Journalism, Media and Communication Study (SJMCS),
University of Juba (UoJ)
