The Shilluk (Chollo) community honored Transport Minister Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin in Juba on Sunday, recognizing his decades of political service, including his role in the 2005 peace deal that paved the way for the country’s independence.
The ceremony, held at Nimra Tala Basketball Court, was attended by senior officials, including Roads and Bridges Minister Simon Mijok Mijak and former higher education ministers Prof. Peter Adwok Nyaba and Dr. John Gai Yoh.
It was organized by Panyiduai youth in Juba.
Akol, a veteran politician from the Chollo community, was appointed transport minister in May after years of exclusion from the transitional unity government, despite his involvement in the 2018 peace agreement. This is his first cabinet position since the transitional government was formed in 2020.
Many had expected President Salva Kiir to name Akol as one of South Sudan’s five vice presidents in 2020 after his South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) coalition submitted nominees. Instead, Kiir picked Hussein Abdelbagi, who was later reassigned as agriculture minister.
Akol, who now leads the National Democratic Movement (NDM), has long criticized Kiir’s government. He briefly served as agriculture minister before resigning in 2016 amid clashes that derailed an earlier peace deal. A former foreign minister of Sudan under the 2005 peace agreement, Akol ran against Kiir in South Sudan’s 2010 election.
In his speech, Akol accused unnamed politicians of trying to strain his relationship with Kiir, insisting their ties remain strong.
“I have known President Kiir since the 1970s in Malakal,” he said. “We worked together secretly in politics. These individuals do not understand our relationship. History will judge their actions.”
He cited his recent appointment as proof of their working rapport and pledged to address transport challenges, including insecurity on roads and arbitrary taxes driving up commodity prices.
Akol urged South Sudanese youth to reject tribalism: “You are the future generation. Do not accept division among yourselves. Fight tribalism.”
Calls for Transport Reform, Unity
Roads Minister Simon Mijok Mijak urged Akol to prioritize air travel safety, including inspecting operational airplanes and removing grounded planes from Juba International Airport. He stressed that railway and road security require broader government coordination.
Former Higher Education Minister John Gai Yoh called on Akol to foster national cohesion as a veteran political leader amid South Sudan’s challenges:
“You are among South Sudan’s elders. You must play a role in achieving lasting peace. As an elder, you have the ability to inspire the youth and tell the country what needs to be done.”
Peter Adwok Nyaba, a former higher education minister, lamented political divisions fracturing communities: “South Sudan celebrates as separate communities, not as one nation.”
He praised Akol’s political and leadership record, noting he has never faced corruption allegations despite holding various ministerial positions in Sudan and South Sudan.
Shilluk community leader Pachai James commended the event’s organizers and called for unity among Shilluk sections nationwide.