In the evolving political landscape of the Republic of South Sudan, a few leaders have demonstrated the breadth of constituency support, administrative competence, and generational relevance that Denay Jock Chagor embodies.
A few weeks ago, after the former vice-president in charge of the economic cluster was replaced by veteran and SPLM loyalist Dr James Wani Iga, a heated discussion ensued in the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA). This debate justifiably rested on regional balance in the presidency and within the broad architecture of the peace accord, weighing heavily on the parties under the SSOA coalition.
Chagor stands out as the most unifying and broadly supported choice for this crucial national responsibility. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the South Sudan United Movement (SSUM), a political organization that emerged during the conflict and transition. SSUM was born with a disciplined and resilient military wing under Chagor. His political and administrative popularity is unmatched in Jonglei State, where he previously served as governor.
During his four-year tenure, independent estimates rated his performance at 95%, mirroring widespread trust across communities, counties, and political groups. His leadership was marked by increased access to basic services, harmony, equitable distribution of resources, youth empowerment, and efforts to stabilize inter-communal relations in one of South Sudan’s most volatile states.
Chagor, who hails from Lou-Nuer, a powerhouse of the Nuer community, has been used and humiliated by the detained first Vice President Dr Riek Machar, for his political capital. The Nuer ethnic group comprises 16 counties for which Dr Machar and Gen Taban Deng represent only 7 situated in Unity State. Politics, it is said, is a game of numbers. However, the opposite prevails in the current context, and must be corrected. The appointment of Chagor to the Presidency will provide a rare chance to address the historical injustice and marginalization.
Chagor’s rise is not accidental. It is grounded on competence, vision, and the confidence he has inspired across generations. He was appointed as the youngest National Minister of Higher Education, and championed reforms and scaled up the government’s support to university students within the country and abroad.
He initiated greater inclusion of young scholars in decision-making across the education sector. A few months later, Chagor ascended to the gubernatorial role and became the youngest Governor of Jonglei State since independence, and likely the youngest governor appointed under the Revitalized Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS) in 10 States. His career trajectory symbolizes the hopes and aspirations of the youth, who make up the majority of South Sudan’s population. For many young people, Chagor represents new blood to the patterns of leadership. He understands the challenges facing the nation, from education to employment to service delivery and security.
What sets Chagor apart is his unique ability to command constituencies across South Sudan. Within Jonglei, he is embraced by diverse communities’ youths, elders, women’s groups, traditional leaders, and local administrators. He establishes a bond with the media houses as well as the developmental partners.
Within SSOA, through SSUM, his leadership is uncontested. As a senior figure in the alliance, Chagor has demonstrated maturity, negotiation skills, and coalition-building that are invaluable for the role of Vice-President of the Service Cluster. While this discussion is largely internal to SSOA, it is based on the principle of fairness and adherence to the peace agreement’s power-sharing arrangements. The agreement remains intact and respected. The matter at hand only requires an internal decision regarding the nomination of the next Vice-President for the Service Cluster. Regional balance is indeed unavoidable because the Peace Agreement is firmly guided by its provisions and proportional ratios.
Within this framework, SSOA has upheld regional fairness. Under the guidance of the “Peace theory,” it is argued that lasting peace is attained when all groups feel represented, respected, and included in resource distribution. This logic was firmly observed in the case of the Greater Bahr el-Ghazal when Hussein Abdelbagi Akol was appointed the vice president, and the incumbent Josephine Lagu Yanga was appointed to represent Greater Equatoria. The players under SSOA must be guided by this rationale.
It is imperative to remind all parties to the peace agreement that regional balance and representation are enjoyed by the parties. Therefore, having more than one from the same constituency/region in the Presidency has absolutely no conflict with texts in the accord. It is assumed that all political parties host and welcome individuals from all three regions.
The ‘’Game theory’’ teaches that political actors make decisions that reduce risks, avoid zero-sum outcomes, and ensure mutual gain. Respecting regional ratios, as SSOA has done ad nauseam, was a strategic move that glued equilibrium within the coalition. Under this reasoning, the remaining vice-presidential slot belonging to the Greater Upper Nile region logically goes to the Greater Upper Nile region with Chagor as the candidate most capable of reinforcing the alliance cohesion and preserving national stability. Chagor possesses the acumen, sharpened through years of leadership and peace processes, where he was a forefront negotiator under the banner of SSOA.
He is a leader of his party, which commands the largest political share under the charter of SSOA with a solid military wing. He served the nation in several high-profile capacities under the Revitalized Peace Agreement, first as National Minister of Higher Education, the Governor of Jonglei State, and most recently as National Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism.
His ability to communicate across constituencies, combined with his oratory, earns him a unique political style. This has enabled him to rally diverse communities behind shared national goals. This exceptional quality places him in a good position to assist the President in steering the country out of economic hardship and persistent insecurity.
Under the authority of “Utilitarian theory’’ which prioritizes the greatest good for the greatest number, I respectfully call upon President Salva Kiir to appoint Chagor as the Vice President. He represents not only the greatest population, but also diverse constituencies.
The author is a member of the Jonglei State Parliament representing Uror County, a security analyst, and a former spokesperson of the Jonglei State Assembly (wanybum12@gmail.com).
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