24/05/2026
Comparing Emmanuel Kembe to Thomas Aban is where the joke begins.
Kembe built his name around one thing: liberation. His songs donāt celebrate individuals or chase payouts. Even in "Freedom Song," he only named those who died in the war, never the living politicians still in the spotlight. Most of his work circles back to the nation, the struggle, and unity. Thatās deliberate. He wants to be remembered as an artist for everyone, not as the voice of one party or faction.
Itās a smart lane to stay in. Political parties come and go, but the people remain. Thatās why artists who try to stay neutral tend to outlast the moment. And itās why Kembe still resonates across South Sudan ā because he never hitched his name to a side.
Aban took a different route. Heās written songs for individuals, often for leaders, businessmen, and politicians, whether commissioned or hoping for a reward afterward. That alone sets him apart from Kembe. And thereās the language issue: most of his catalog is in Shilluk, Dhok Collo. It speaks directly to the Shilluk community, but it doesnāt carry the same reach that Kembeās Arabic and English songs do.
The real break came when Aban publicly aligned himself with the SPLM. The problem is, the Shilluk arenāt a monolith. There are supporters of other parties, and plenty who donāt claim any party at all. For those fans, it felt like a shift from unifying artist to partisan voice. People who once saw him as a cultural bridge now see him as taking a side against them.
Thatās where the disappointment and criticism come from. It isnāt just noise ā itās from fans who feel let down by a turn they didnāt expect.
If Aban wants to grow from this, he has to take the criticism seriously instead of dismissing it. Heās at a choice point: listen to the fans who spoke up and reconsider his direction, or double down and risk losing the very base that made him. He canāt afford to alienate the Chollo people and keep moving like nothing happened. Theyāre his core audience. Lose them, and thereās not much left to fall back on.
