REMEMBERING Victor Edward Kpiawandu

This morning I was deeply saddened when my friend Samson Sagani called me and asked, “have you heard the news of Victor,” I replied, “which Victor?” He said “Danda has passed on”!

I was left speechless for a while. Last night I went to bed around 10pm EAT (nine O’clock Juba local time), so when Samuel Augustino announced his death, I was asleep. Where do I begin it from? Maybe his names in full: Victor Edward Kpiawandu aka Danda.

I got to know him around 1985, I was a young boy, we had returned to Yambio from Bishop Gwynne College in Mundri where my father was the Vice Principal before his election as the second Bishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS), Diocese of Yambio.

Victor started to stand out early in life and we would easily spot him among his peers. He was tall with an Afro-pop huge hairstyle, which he kept neatly. Like Emmanuel Mbaraza said in our community WhatsApp groups, I never considered Danda as a politician but a choirmaster and an evangelist. Those days between 1985 – 1990, we would ponder in amusement who between him and the late Henry Wandu was the greatest singer.

He was actually born Victor Edward Ephraim, Samuel Augustino can correct me here. He was nicknamed Danda in Timbiro, the home of ECSS in the Azandeland. Years later I noticed he had added Kpiawandu to his name.

In the early 1990’s big boys like him and us their juniors began to focus on East Africa for studies. Through the Church he left to study at Church Army College (Carlile College) along Jogoo Road in Nairobi. Every time he visited Yambio during vacations, we would admire him and wanted to be like him.  In the mid-1990’s my turn came to go to Kenya, in Nairobi I was mesmerized at how he had mastered the Kiswahili language, he was good friends with “uncle” Bullen Nginzo.

When South Sudan gained independence, he joined politics and rose through the ranks and file of the ruling party SPLM to become a member of the Council of States, the deputy Governor of our beloved State (WES) and the Speaker of State Assembly in Yambio.

It has been 8 years since I last saw him because I also embarked on my own journey. At one point between 2014 – 2016 we agreed to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during the peace talks but we missed each other. In July last year, he phoned me, I was in Juba. He requested for a meeting, he mentioned other elders who would come with him, we agreed to meet at an opportune time, but I left the country before we met.

Last night curtains came down on an industrious life, a towering figure in our community, but to me a homeboy, he and I had a pet name (My Boy) corruptly pronounced “Ma Boi”. He was closest friends with Simon Busta, my beloved cousin. They were so close one would think they were age-mates.

Two or three years ago I saw photos of him circulating on social media as he was being ordained a deacon in the Church, I felt a sign of fulfillment for a “big brother” who would be a Bishop today, I only wonder why it took him that long to take the vow. According to our standard, Danda has lived a fulfilled life, he has achieved a lot and has left a legacy that will be talked about for years to come.

In the days ahead I will go to Yambio to pay homage to a role model who inspired me to keep trying to excel and to be a better man. My condolences to his family.

Respect in Peace Danda. Empress!

By Manasseh Zindo