The Agony of Riek Machar’s Reforms Agenda
3 min readBy Gai Deng Biar, Nairobi, Kenya
February 8, 2015 (SSB) — Reform in simple definition mean to make changes in something, typically a social, political, or economic institution or practice in order to improve it.
Unfortunately, Riek Machar, might be blind PhD holder, a say from our late Dr. John Garang in mid 1990s shortly after the rebellion waged against the SPLA/M by Riek Machar citing lack of reforms within the guerrilla movement a move which made most of South Sudanese, the then Sudanese to develop a doubtful attitude toward the ability of Riek Machar to lead any reform agenda.
Riek machar did the converse of the reform drive in the country as his reform agenda is always led by his unconstitutional search for power, which he did in 1991 declaration in Nasir with a sole aim of toppling John Garang as the chairman of the SPLA/M a movement which won the interest of the people who gave their lives for the sake of liberation.
As reform is making changes and improvement in social, political and economic institutions, the case of Riek machar is not as we though, he destroyed our social institutions which led to rise in orphanages, widowing and uprooting of some great communities and in this case Nuer communities have also been uprooted due to mass recruitment of children and all age categories to fight for his interest.
The other communities who are non members of Nuer ethnicity experienced devastation caused by the rebels forces loyal to him, these social uprooting led to social variances of generation.
His reform agenda on South Sudan’s politics has dragged the country backward instead of improving it to get space in the 21st century politics, the 2013 December political turmoil was the continuity of 1991 split of SPLA/M which rested severely on the progress of the war of liberation as the movement failed to capture Juba, the Southern regional capital and the lost of many lives due to his act of splitting.
His reforms agenda destroyed our economy and it has widen the economic gap which was in stages of growth, for example, the rebellion he waged against democratically elected government led to destruction of properties, commercial entities among others, these entities were destroyed by the senseless war.
Lastly, his reform agenda is an agony because in his push for reforms had always been accompany by extreme physical and mental suffering of South Sudanese. South Sudanese are reformists including our president and it can be attested to the reshuffling of the then cabinet which gave birth to fight back to power war by the current rebels and their allies.
The 23, July, 2013 reshuffling was as the result of public demand to reduce the huge weight bill which was unbearable to the public, thus our president responded to his people call and its shows he is fully for reforms.
Author is an incoming financially analyst and can be reached at gabrielbiar39@gmail.com and at facebook Gai Deng
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