VZCZCXRO2133
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0264/01 0561325
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251325Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3091
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000264 
 
DEPT FOR AF A A/S CARTER, AF/SPG, AF/E, DRL 
NSC FOR CHUDSON 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO KDEM SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SPLM LEADERSHIP IN THE NUBA MOUNTAINS IN FLUX 
 
REFS: A. KHARTOUM 186 
¶B. 08 KHARTOUM 1455 
      ¶C. 08 KHARTOUM 1435 
      ¶D. 08 KHARTOUM 1427 
      ¶E. 08 KHARTOUM 1309 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  In a decisive and long-overdue move, the Sudan 
People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Council of Southern Kordofan 
voted to oust Deputy Governor Daniel Kodi from his position of SPLM 
State Chairman.  The vote of no-confidence in Kodi as the SPLM's 
lead-man in the Nuba Mountains is not surprising given Kodi's 
persistent ineffectiveness, much of which can be blamed on his 
notorious alcoholism,.  The SPLM State Council is asking that the 
SPLM National Secretariat in Juba also remove Kodi from his position 
as Deputy Governor and Acting State Minister of Finance.  According 
to SPLM representatives in the region, Nubans are hopeful that SPLM 
Southern Kordofan native Abdel Aziz Al-Helou will assume the state 
Chairmanship, but they acknowledge that Al-Helou is already a very 
busy man with the SPLM's Darfur portfolio.  In light of the recent 
crisis of leadership plaguing the SPLM Nuba, Deputy Secretary 
General of the SPLM for the Southern Sector Dr. Anne Itto will 
travel to the region to meet with party representatives (ref A). 
There are also tentative plans for Chairman and President of the 
Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Salva Kiir Mayardit to make his 
first visit to the State soon.  End Summary. 
 
KODI OUSTED BY A VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
¶2. (SBU) On 19 February, voted to remove Daniel Kodi from the 
position of SPLM State Chairman by a vote of 33 to two (with two 
abstentions.)  Deputy Speaker of the Southern Kordofan State 
Legislature Saddiq Mansour (SPLM) told poloff on 24 February that 
the strong vote of no-confidence in Kodi comes as a result of his 
"weak performance in all sectors" on behalf of the SPLM in Southern 
Kordofan (reftels A and C).  USAIDoffs were in Southern Kordofan 
when the vote of no-confidence took place.  They spoke with Mansour 
as well as the SPLM Southern Kordofan Liberation Council Secretary 
General Arnu, former State Minister of Finance Ahmed Saeed (SPLM), 
Assessment and Evaluation Commission member Neroun Phillip (SPLM), 
Lagawa County Commissioner Tia (SPLM), and the SPLM Executive 
Director of Julud Hamat Jaywat.  Most of these individuals provided 
them with the same explanation for Kodi's removal:  he had not been 
producing results or consulting other party members on his 
decisions, and as a result, the SPLM was dissatisfied with his 
performance. The SPLM State Council also recommended to Salva Kiir 
Mayardit, the SPLM Chairman and the President of the Government of 
Southern Sudan, that Kodi be removed from his state executive 
position as Deputy Governor and Acting State Minister for Finance. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Mansour told poloff on 24 February that a State Congress 
will take place in Kadugli, the capital of Southern Kordofan, in one 
month's time in order for the SPLM State Council to elect a new SPLM 
State Chairman.  Mansour said that "people are asking" for Southern 
Kordofan native and SPLM leader Abdel Aziz Helou to assume the 
position of SPLM State Chairman.  Mansour's opinion is that Helou 
will not accept the position because he already "carries a very 
heavy load" for the SPLM by handling the party's Darfur portfolio. 
Mansour told poloff that even if Helou refuses the position, he is 
sure that "someone who is capable" will assume the State Chairman 
role.  SPLM State Secretary Arnu told USAIDoffs in Kadugli that the 
SPLM had intended to save Helou's arrival on the Southern Kordofan 
scene for 2009 elections.  According to Arnu, the SPLM was concerned 
that if Helou were to serve as Deputy Governor in Southern Kordofan 
State under the current NCP Governor (who is also a former 
intelligence operative) that Helou's effectiveness would have been 
stifled, thus hurting his chances of winning 2009 elections in the 
state. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Recently-removed State Minister of Finance Dr. Ahmed Saeed 
(SPLM) told USAIDoffs that Kodi believes that Saeed was conspiring 
to take Kodi's position as SPLM State Chairman (and potentially 
Deputy Governor if Kodi is also removed from that position.)  As a 
result, Dr. Ahmed, who in fact believes that he is at the top of the 
list of likely candidates after Helou to succeed Kodi for the State 
Chairmanship, will therefore be hesitant to accept the position if 
it is offered to him. Following the vote of no-confidence, SPLM 
state representatives alleged that Kodi called for SPLA commanders 
to stand against what he believed to be a conspiracy against him. 
Former Governor of Southern Kordofan and high-ranking SPLA commander 
Ismael Khamis Jalab traveled to Kadugli to convince Kodi to halt his 
calls for SPLA involvement in the event.  USAIDoffs were told by 
SPLM officials that Jalab explained to Kodi that the vote was part 
of a diplomatic process and therefore must be accepted. [Note: Dr. 
Ahmed Saeed was unfairly dismissed as State Minister of Finance in 
September 2008 by Southern Kordofan Governor Omer Suleiman because 
 
KHARTOUM 00000264  002 OF 002 
 
 
of disagreements over the state budget. Many SPLM members were 
frustrated by Kodi's inability to get Dr. Saeed reinstated.  End 
Note.] 
 
A POTENTIAL VISIT BY KIIR TO SOUTHERN KORDOFAN 
- - - - -  - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - 
¶5. (SBU) Mansour told poloff that Deputy Secretary of the SPLM 
Southern Sector, Dr. Anne Itto, will travel to Kadugli in the nextQ 
few days to meet with SPLM members in Southern Kordofan regarding 
the latest events.  Mansour also said that SPLA Chairman Salva Kiir 
plans to visit Southern Kordofan in the near future, but that the 
date is not yet fixed.  The visit would be Salva Kiir's first to 
Southern Kordofan since the signing of the CPA.  ConGen Juba poloff 
will meet with Dr. Itto this week to follow-up on Itto's visit to 
the region (to be reported septel). 
 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
¶6. (SBU) Kodi has not only been largely ineffective in his role as 
the SPLM Chairman and Deputy State Governor in Southern Kordofan, 
but based on his call for the SPLM to boycott the census and his 
negative attitude towards integration, he has also been a 
troublemaker.  As reported by Embassy Khartoum on several occasions 
in the past few months, the SPLM Nuba have been confronting a very 
serious crisis of leadership in Southern Kordofan (refs A and C). 
Kodi has not been successful in communicating his people's  concerns 
to the SPLM National Secretariat in Juba nor to the Government of 
National Unity in Khartoum.  Furthermore, he has not formulated a 
vision for the SPLM an the Nuba Mountains as 2009 elections and the 
2011 popular consultation draw near.  Kodi's ousting is an 
opportunity for the SPLM to inject fresh energy and new leadership 
into the party in Southern Kordofan.  A strong and wise SPLM leader 
who is familiar with the issues of the region can effectively 
communicate the latter to the SPLM in Juba.  Such a leader can also 
mobilize and set a realistic agenda for the SPLM in the Nuba 
Mountains.  This is what is needed to foster stability in the state 
and move the SPLM and CPA implementation in the right direction. 
End Comment. 
 
FERNANDEZ