Is the ongoing fighting about President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar or a strategy towards something else?
By Mading Abraham Majur, Kampala, Uganda
October 14, 2015 (SSB) — Ten years ago, SPLM/A had signed a comprehensive peace agreement and in the subsequent years we achieved independence of our country on July 9th .2011 with singular purpose of pulling this country back from the dark and disastrous path of dictatorship, our vision and mission was to transform our country into one where there was genuine freedom and democracy for all South Sudanese, with guaranteed security for all, with social and economic justice for all, with shared prosperity and opportunities as one people in one nation South Sudan.
Transformation of South Sudan remains the central driving force behind our struggle and behind our desire as a citizens but it is what is being done? South Sudanese are tired of being terrorized by their own leaders that have become so afraid that the unleash bullets and bombs on any one dares to challenge them. The fighting that going on in areas of Upper Nile State, unity state and Jonglei state and other is being done with impurity because that is what has become normal, we are tired of this.
South Sudanese are tired of burying family members and friends who die of treatable disease simply because public hospitals are poorly staffed, poorly equipped and poorly supervised or nothing completely because of the ongoing fighting. We must change direction if we are to achieve what we fought for, the time is now but not by coup.
Over the last ten years, I have traversed our country but I find no development so our exclusive focus should be on building through establishing and invigorating development through good and peaceful leadership, we should achieved significant advances in establishing critical organizational capabilities that we shall deploy to achieve victory.
Our choice to focus on nation building should be based on the belief that the country’s strength should be founded on a sound and well organized leadership all over the country.
Our country has very many talented people with exceptional leadership and managerial skills that can turn around development in the country yet however, good on individual might be, he cannot substitute for institutions if I can express this proverb that says” however large a tree may be, it cannot be a forest” therefore, I shall consistently pursue the path of institution building and establishment of internal management system to achieve what our fore fathers (SPLM) fought for. My tours around South Sudan as South Sudanese national have offered me opportunities to listen and learn from a cross-section of South Sudanese about their achievements and changes. The message I heard time to time, has been that our great country has a serious leadership crisis; this leadership crisis is a major handicap that is central to the social political and economic difficulties that threaten our security and stability.
Whereas our country has made some progress and achieved independence from dictators, we remain well behind in very many ways, we are driving in reverse people are tired and there is enormous hunger for urgent change of mind towards continued fighting that is benefiting a few/ parallel to government structures and institute to restore government cohesion, very well aware that cohesion and unity are the corner stone’s of any government to establish cohesion in our country requires patience, fair play, transparency, tolerance and consistence in exhibiting unwavering commitment to democracy and reconciliation.
We have not been deterred by the skepticism that we cannot collectively withstand the stresses and pressures that our country has faced; we have to be stead fast and resolute in pursuit of our objectives (SPLM).
Today, the SPLM is not united and ready to play a major role in the urgent mission of offering better, more effective and just governance to our people.
Our faith and commitment to broadening and strengthening the forces for positive change has not critical, we should have principles to which we are totally committed. I believe in the dignity of the humanity that transcends ethnicity, gender, social class, economic means, political affiliation, age and any other grouping.
I believe in the right of all South Sudanese to enjoy high public education and proper health care, I believe in the right of all South Sudanese to access tax payer-funded services to enhance their economic productivity.
I also believe that the president and the government must be the servants of the people and not the other way round.
The future beckons to us to be brave and resolute, united towards common objective of real change from tribalism to unity- transformative change in our country for better future of all.
The author is the student from Kyambogo University, faculty of arts and social sciences Department of political science and he can be reached on majur20155@gmail.com
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