By Yiep Joseph
Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), Jemma Nunu Kumba, has decried continuous political witch-hunt by men targeting female leaders in the country.
While addressing party members during a swearing-in ceremony of SPLM leaders, Speaker Nunu revealed that some men continue to campaign for the removal of women from their positions.
“We are increasingly seeing that when we (women) get a lot of support from our comrades, the men on top of SPLM, there are some men who are there to fight the women, they are there to fight the women,” she said.
“They(men) are not fighting the women, they are fighting the decision of the President, who is our chairman (SPLM) who appoints women to those positions,” she added.
However, the speaker did not disclose those campaigning for the removal of women in power.
She said some men continue to channel their energy by writing letters calling for the removal of some women from positions.
“You go and learn your English, and you come and sit there where you are writing against women; remove this woman, remove this woman,” Nunu said
She called on SPLM Secretary General Peter Lam never to recognize or give a chance to such letters, adding that they are not genuine to be attended to.
“If the woman is not going well, you(men) come and talk to the woman; do not write secret letters, and that letter comrade Peter (SPLM SG); those letters, we do not want those letters to come to the secretariat (SPLM); those letters should end where they are being written,” Nunu said.
She reiterated the need for party members and men, in particular, to stop fighting for the removal of women, adding that both (men and women) will coexist in leadership as required by the party.
“We are there, men and women; we are there, and we should be there. This is what our party needs; this is our party policy; this is what our nation needs; this is what the region needs; this is what the world needs: women and men to work together,” she said.
Speaker Nunu urged those who criticize women to refrain from generalizations, emphasizing the importance of using knowledge to develop ideas that can benefit the country.
She appreciated President Salva Kiir for giving women a chance to hold top positions in the country.
“The women also, we thank our President for giving assignments to the few women that are there in government,” she said.
She indicated that women have never initiated any fight calling for the removal of a man; however, in situations of poor governance, they engage with the individual as comrades in the party.
“There is no time women have sat to write any letter against any man that has been appointed to positions; it has not happened when the man is not doing well. The women go straight to the man and say, you are not doing well, we want you to do better,” she said.
She called on SPLM members to channel energies toward peace and service delivery to the Citizens.