THE 16TH SUMMIT OF THE EAC HEADS OF STATE IN NAIROBI, KENYA
7 min readIs South Sudan’s entry into East Africa Community an Ebola or King Solomon’s one kid-but-two-moms Tragedy?
By Deng Lueth Yuang
February 22, 2015 (SSB) — “South Sudan is a mwomwo,” declared a Kenyan friend of mine. I asked him what it meant and he told me, it is a Kikuyu word that literally means an old lorry. But a derogatorily term for a mature person, especially a female character, for adulterated lifestyles – unworthy sexual life.
So, don’t misquote me. I am not saying South Sudanese are promiscuous or gold diggers. I am saying the East African member state: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, in order of their marginal willingness to run its affairs, are not yet ready to lie down with a ‘mwomwo’ whose ‘kid’ paternity is in question – South Sudan has not yet fully assigned which East African nations among Kenya, Uganda or others will take its economic rights. Alternatively, they are not safe enough to ride in a dilapidated truck whose wheels, engines and other moving parts are rackety and loose. These worn-out parts need adequate greasing.
Otherwise, South Sudan entrance into East Africa Community NOW will cause far-reaching negative consequences within its member states, especially those of Kenya and Uganda who each claim parenthood to this toddler. The rests are uncles and aunties, except Tanzania, a senior uncle who wants to settle the dispute bedevilling the family of his distant brother, the South Sudan Nilotes.
It is this kind of thinking that an immature admission is either a manifestation of an infestation of an Ebola-like instability in East Africa or King Solomon’s one-kid-two-moms tragedy in the Bible (1 Kings 3:16-28).
People should not conjecture that the young nation is not yet mature enough to be fully admitted NOW into old boys club. Look at each of the member states and you will wonder how mature they are. Although they fare better than South Sudan, they are way behind the barometer of democracy/good leadership and stability they claim to be. From Uganda’s Museveni’s autocratic rule, Kenya’s self-proclaimed democratic credentials but systemic tribally instigated violence, Rwanda’s one man’s rule of Paul Kagame to Burundi’s tribal and Pierre Nkurundizza for-life presidency. None of our East Africans brothers are matured enough to point out a speck in our eyes.
Let it be made abundantly clear that South Sudan is a newly independent nation, and has been at wars with its northern brother for five decades. Its peoples are very decent people like any others in the region. They may lack the physical aggrandizement and appearances of Kenya’s Thika superhighway, KICC and Rwanda’s Kigali cleanest city tag, but its peoples have the will and courage to embody and identify with the 21st Century idea of being a member in a community of nations such as East Africa.
Surprisingly, though lacking formal recognition, South Sudan is already a de facto member of East African states by virtue of her people living inside East Africa. Hundreds of thousands of students are learning there; trade is flourishing between its members and South Sudanese; refugees are sheltering in their territories, and temporary residents spending great time in big cities such as Kampala, Gulu, Arusha, Kigali, Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, etc. And besides, more than half a million South Sudanese in diaspora from US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and other places in the world always visit East African countries with millions of dollars that they leave behind in their economies. Some of these people, including the author’s, have family members living and paying for goods and services they need for livelihoods.
However, the member states might have delayed South Sudan membership in good faith due to Dec. 15, 2013 war, which is an accidental incident indeed. None of its citizens planned it. It is something more to do with power struggle within ruling party, the SPLM – a common trend across Africa. The beneficiaries of this union are common people who are innocent. That is why it was important for South Sudan to have been admitted long time ago especially on July 9th, 2011 when it got independence from its northern counterpart, North Sudan.
Secondly, East Africa federation is more about an economic entity rather than a political or cultural body. Absorption of South Sudan NOW into its standing structures will have rapidly helped ramp up its fledgling economy hard hit by plunging oil prices by reducing or removing trade barriers from its adjacent trade partners – Kenya and Uganda.
I remember how a cousin of mine who had a joint venture with a Kenyan tycoon faced difficulties buying cement in bulk and transferring it back to South Sudan via Uganda. In a very chilly night at a Silva Springs Hotel, Nairobi, we set in the midst of the night ironing out how we would buy cement – the company whether Bamburi, Portland Cement, Rhino, or any other company/dealer with great discounts and quality; documentations – consignment letter, export/import certificates, carriers, how to pass through Uganda, customs issues, etc. There were a lot of red tapes to begin with. I also recall when I was travelling by road in early Nov. 2011 from Nairobi to Juba via Uganda by Kampala coach how Kenyan and Ugandan border police were frantically searching us and all baggage to confirm that we were not carrying any valuable or commercial items onboard. It was especially worst in Mbarara, Uganda since we were forced to alight and asked to declare every possession we had. But when we failed to tell them anything they could take money from us, they entered the bus and checked everything, breaking open and tearing apart parcels and bags on their way. It took us five terrifying hours to finish their menial checking.
Avoiding such incidents is the essence of why we South Sudanese should be part and parcel of the East Africa community.
But anyway, who needs who? Mutual. I think so. After all, our entrance into this trade association will be a boon for current East African nations to interact well socially and economy-wise without occasional ‘bumps’ for them to access South Sudan markets. Issues such as 17th September’s labour directive which was hideously calling for banning of foreign workers in South Sudan, and somehow Southerners’ ill feelings about East African citizens taking up everything in the country will be things of the past.
It will be business as usual as well as legally binding for our East African counterparts to enjoy the fruits of our blood in peace, happiness and freedom. No more calling of names – “thankless kid, biting the finger that feeds him, etc.” From free entry visas to residence and work permits for hustling foreign workers who have invaded South Sudan from burning charcoal, riding bodabodas, selling alcohol, and prostitution to expatriates offering hi-tech and high-level services such as financials, medical and consultancy services.
Comparatively, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania among other east African members are well placed to tap into our nation building their competitively advanced practical and professional talents, for ours is juvenile and rejected by our own. Anyway, South Sudanese have behavioral tendencies to love foreign other than local stuff.
Perhaps, South Sudan should be patient enough to join the union with strong footing. Otherwise, the only way it will be readily accepted and fully received with open hands is WHAT THEY CAN BRING into East African Community. And that thing is the OIL to buy their way in. Not this time when war is ravaging and engulfing the whole nation, petro money dwindling and South Sudanese fleeing their country like hell.
South Sudanese, let’s be patient. Everything will be alright!
Deng Lueth Yuang is an Economist. Find him on Facebook.com.
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