Juba Smorgasbord
By Malith Alier, Juba, South Sudan
October 29, 2015 (SSB) — Juba, the capital city of South Sudan is ranked as one of the most expensive cities on the African continent. This was at the time of financial stability. Foreign currency was not an issue those days. Our petrodollars flowed like river Nile. Not anymore. The war of David and Goliath has altered everything beyond recognition and ordinary people now live on hope and remembrance.
This author was one of those persons fond of frequenting high-end hotels and exotic restaurants in the city. This was in the years 2010 through to 2013. You can see the difference war can make. One of my past teachers told us that war takes humanity back to Stone Age era. We have seen with our very own eyes. The Anya Nya I, SPLA and now intra-SPLA wars had destroyed and retarded potential development the country would have had.
The autonomy that came with CPA also ushered in a period of self discovery for Southerners at large. A period of excesses kicked in. Everyone began to wear a suit, drive V8 and dine in very expensive restaurants. This is why Juba is full of many hotels today. There is a hotel for every hundred clients. All of these hotels and restaurants are foreign owned. They are also fond of employing their countrymen.
It is true that South Sudanese are experimenting with money. Something called financial literacy lacks at every turn. Further, it is one of the reasons why our economy is under foreign domination may be for years to come.
Whenever, one grabs money anywhere, he/she would like to spend it on smorgasbord in Juba Grand, Quality Hotel, Juba Regency and the list is long. Some government officials are notorious of lodging with their families vast security detail in these exorbitant hotels on the expense of the state. They shun their government allotted accommodation for hotels where there are easy things. At the end of every month these officials will rush to the Ministry of Finance to clear accommodation, food and wine bills for them. This is a bloat on the country.
Now that the rebels or the SPLM-IO is returning you can imagine that it is going to be worse. Every new general will now need an accommodation and the first choice will be those big hotels where one can grow his stomach in a short period. Remember that a big belly in South Sudan means more respect and numerous privileges that come with it. Nobody will give you a seat if you are slim, short and flat-stomach. Nobody minds about what is in your brain, it is what is in your stomach that matters. Another yardstick is how many civilians you slaughtered in rebellions. It is a country of contrasts.
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