Jimmy Lemi Milla

Jimmy Lemi Milla (August 8, 1948[1] – February 9, 2011)[2] was a Sudanese politician, and Cabinet member in Southern Sudan. He was a Pojulu.[3][4]

His Excellency
Jimmy Lemi Milla
Minister for Co-operatives and Rural Development
In office
2010 – 9 February 2011
PresidentSalva Kiir Mayardit
Preceded byAnn Itto Leonardo
Personal details
BornAugust 8, 1948
Central Equatoria
DiedFebruary 9, 2011(2011-02-09) (aged 62)
Juba, Southern Sudan
Political partyNational Congress Party,
then Sudan People's Liberation Movement
Alma materMakerere University

Career

Milla studied at Makerere University in Uganda, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973. He subsequently studied in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a Diploma in Aviation, which he obtained in 1976. In 1980, he obtained a Certificate in Mass Communication from the Khartoum School of Mass Communication.[1]

He began his political career in his home state of Central Equatoria, serving at different times as Minister for Education and deputy Governor of the state government, as well as chairman of the State Human Rights Commission. He has also been Assistant Commissioner for Culture and Information in Eastern Equatoria, and Director of Information and Press Secretary to the President of the High Executive Council of Southern Sudan.[1]

In his career in national government in Sudan, he served as chairman of the States Commission in the National Assembly in Khartoum, and Deputy Secretary General of Government.[1]

He was initially a member of the National Congress Party, Sudan's ruling conservative party, but joined the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, the dominant party in Southern Sudan, following the latter's Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government in 2005.[4]

In 2010, he was appointed Minister for Co-operatives and Rural Development in the government of autonomous Southern Sudan, replacing Ann Itto Leonardo, who had been promoted Minister for Agriculture.[4] He also represented the constituency of Lainy in the Legislative Assembly of Southern Sudan.[5] Milla was still holding that position in government when, on 7 February 2011, the result of the Southern Sudanese independence referendum was announced, indicating that Southern Sudan would become an independent State.

Murder

Two days after announcing the Southern Sudanese independence referendum, Milla and his bodyguard were shot dead inside his ministry building, reportedly by Milla's driver. The reason for the murder was said to be "personal rather than political".[2][4]

References
  1. Biography Archived 2010-11-01 at the Wayback Machine on the website of the government of Southern Sudan
  2. "Southern Sudan minister Jimmy Lemi Milla shot dead", BBC, 9 February 2011.
  3. "Late Minister Lemi to be Laid to Rest at Home Town", Sudan Catholic Radio Network, February 10, 2011
  4. "South Sudan minister shot dead in Juba: SPLA", Agence France-Presse, 9 February 2011.
  5. Members of the Legislative Assembly of Southern Sudan
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