Proper management of affairs – 28 new states, the cons and the pros
By Joseph Lino Wuor Abyei, Juba, South Sudan
October 23, 2015 (SSB) — In 1997, a colleague told this writer that when the federal system is announced each person will go to his/her respective state, and Khartoum will be left empty. He said that the federal system soon to be announced, will create so many job opportunities that some states may go out to look for qualifications to fill vacant posts.
A few weeks later president Omer Hassan Ahmed El Bashir issued a presidential decree establishing 26 states in lieu of the long standing 9 Regions and declared Sudan a federal government and the decree was immediately implemented. Under that Presidential Order, South Sudan was devolved into ten states and there was no protest of any kind at all.
Friday October 2, 2015, President Salvatore Kiir de Mayardit issued Establishment Order Nu: 36/2015 announcing establishment of 28 states. Just a reminder Nigeria, which is almost the size of South Sudan, has 32 (Thirty Two) federal states.
But Hon. Michael Makuen de Lueth, Minister of Information and Broadcasting said in a TV interview same evening, that the Order “is not an event, but a process.” Indeed it is going to be a process that may take a few months to a few years or more to complete. This is what has happened in Sudan which is yet to complete the establishment processes of the declared federal system some eighteen years ago.
A quick review: Sudan was part of Egypt at one point in time, then it became independent during the Mahdia Revolution then the British reunited it with Egypt, then the British disconnected it from Egypt to become independent in 1956.
South Sudan had also under gone similar ups and downs until when it found itself part of Sudan as three Provinces. After Addis Ababa Agreement in 1972, South Sudan was administered as one Region. Then President Nimeri annulled the decree, undermined the constitution because “it is not a Bible” and South Sudan was devolved into three Regions again and this might have directly or indirectly fueled rebellion and thereafter a war of liberation.
A reminder in 1997, Warrap state was established from out of the blue along with the other 26 states, but with proper management of affairs which demanded dedication, patience and sacrifice, it turned out to be a successfully competitive state.
Therefore, after the euphoria and disappointment, it is hoped that the authorities who declared the decree and those who will be appointed to run the newly established states will take the challenge seriously and go ahead to establish successfully self reliant states.
With that Order, President Kiir de Mayardit threw in a very large stone into what appeared to having been long stagnant political waters in South Sudan. It appeared as if many parts of South Sudan were waiting for such a grand political move; we saw processions and messages of support flowing in from individuals, organizations and associations. We also heard some opposing voices coming in from certain areas and from certain individuals who might have sensed disadvantages in the new “federal arrangement.” Such are the dynamics of politics that you can never please everybody all the time.
The writer would like to say that soon both the skeptics and the supporters will discover the merits of this modestly announced federal system and let us learn from the lessons of the establishment of the former ten states of South Sudan by Omer El Bashir which appeared as if the Arabs in Khartoum wanted to divide and rule South Sudanese.
However, the following provisions should have been spelled out.
- That more states could be established if need arises in the future.
- That two or more states could merge and form one state if they so wish.
- That the citizens of any state may opt to change the name of their state or the name of their capital city for any ground they deem necessary.
- That any change that shall be proposed in the future in regards to the merger or creation of new states or change of the name of the state or name of the state capital, should be lodged with the august Council of States.
These provisions shall prove that the new policy is well intended and consequently shall enhance proper management of affairs.
The idea of establishing the 28 states is more decentralization and more devolution of powers and more inter-state co-operation and to create an atmosphere of peaceful co-existence among the citizens of this country. This new “federal arrangement,” if implemented conscientiously and steadfastly, will definitely create an atmosphere of competition among the states, i.e. which one will be more peaceful, more productive, friendlier, more advanced in terms of services delivery, in terms of punctual payment of salaries, minimum corruption and so on.
But to begin with we shall see which of the newly established states will be able to establish most of the functioning institutions from top to bottom within a relatively short period.
After establishment of the new state governments, some basic services such as night time security, which is lacking in Juba and in some other state capitals, shall be top propriety that should be delivered immediately.
Then the citizens of a newly established state shall begin to see groceries and shops and bakeries and especially restaurants and butcheries springing up and soon supplies like vegetables, charcoal, sugar and some building materials will begin to appear in the market. Institutions such as schools and churches will soon be constructed.
Then the municipality shall soon realize that proper roads, streets and avenues and play grounds and public squares and the industrial area and the cemetery, which are still missing in Juba, should be constructed by all means.
The writer expects that after jubilation, singing and dancing, basic services delivery should begin in earnest and this is how Ayod or Pibor and other newly declared state capitals should take shape. This is how Kuajok was established about ten years ago. In Kuajok, the new governor and his cabinet in 2005 had to camp under the trees for some time. Today Kuajok is a different township all together.
The skeptics in particular shall soon realize that there are positions lying around, and that land for building one’s own house is available and cheap in his/her newly established state. In contrast, Juba has run out of land.
The newly appointed governor and the cabinet shall soon realize that trade is flourishing and that this is an assured source of revenue that shall fuel the state government machinery and facilitate basic service delivery. This is how Juba, the new Capital City of the Republic of South Sudan got established; in fact this is how Rome was established.
But, the newly appointed state governor and government will soon realize that self sufficiency in food production shall be top priority. This will require the newly established state government and the old ones as well to see how viable and feasible agriculture in the state is. Moreover, the new state authorities should consider encouraging local traders who should be seen sitting in their shops in the market place of “our new state capital.” This should be a must because depending on foreign traders to run shops is in most of the time neither so reliable nor desirable.
“Magendo” traders with their brief cases and nice looking jackets shall soon appear each in his/her newly established Capital Township. Then the newly appointed governor and government shall soon learn to deal with these local “magendo” traders. Then the newly established state government may feel compelled as usual to use the services of these sweet tongued all smiling “magendo” traders to procure and provide the basic requirements and in the process some people shall begin to be rich and these large V8s may soon begin to roam the streets of “our new state capital.” This is not bad isn’t it?
But, the state government may decide to turn these “magendo” traders into properly settled businessmen/women and solve the problem of the monopoly of foreign traders. This proper management of affairs may attract some serious investors into our newly established state, and such promising economic conditions may attract a bank to open its branch in this new state capital. Investment and development are what we are all after, isn’t it?
Soon technicians like builders and plumbers, carpenters, water distributors and the like shall immediately appear in the new state capital and in other towns and villages of the new state. This sector shall be the initial job creators and shall be a source of income generation and revenue collection. It should be mentioned that this technical sector has contributed a lot to make life easier in Juba since independence.
All this means that the new governor and government shall soon realize that they are actually in a city enjoying quiet and peaceful cool city evening hours with generator lights all over and some people may play cards. What else do skeptics want more than this?
It is unfortunate that South Sudan tends to carbon copy some negative aspects of the political system in Khartoum and their ways of doing things, in the sense that “some disgruntled elements” may work to derail the newly announced federal policy. But if the proponents are serious then they should not allow this to happen.
We should bear in mind that in many countries, sometimes presidents take drastic unilateral decisions like declaration of war and so on. That is why a president swears to defend and protect the territorial integrity of the country. Then why president if he/she does not take drastic and sometimes draconian measures in order to protect the interests of the country and to promote the wellbeing of the citizens. Such measures are usually seen in the context of proper management of affairs. But opposition, peaceful and non peaceful, is always expected and respected.
October 7, 2015 as usual, the UN, US, UK, Norway without IGAD this time, voiced objection to the newly announced federal system forgetting that they are demanded to assist in implementing the recently signed peace agreement.
You can reach the author via his email: josephabyei@yahoo.com
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