Reflecting on 2015: Historic or chaotic? (Part 2)
By Daniel Majack Kuany, Juba, South Sudan
January 7, 2016 (SSB) — In a series of surprise decisions issued in the form of Presidential decrees or Orders, from the President’s Office, the year brought landmark changes in the gubernatorial leadership in which citizens boldly witnessed President Salva Kiir exercising his constitutionally mandated powers by relieving elected governors. Among the affected governors by the decrees were Major. General Clement Wani Konga of Central Equatoria State, Colonel Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro of Western Equatoria as well as removing Brigadier Simon Kuon Pouch of Upper Nile State. The president also issued another separate decree appointing caretakers.
While many citizens were ululating the audacious decisions made by President to remove governors and appoint others, nevertheless it was not taken lightly by other communities that felt bad of the relief of their sons and daughters arguing that it was unconstitutional to sack elected constitutional post holders.
So the question is, was the relief from office of elected Governors historic or chaotic? Someone somewhere can concur with me that 2015 was completely not favoring the civil population of Wondurba Administrative Area. It was devastating and disturbing to see the citizens or civilians in the area clashing with their own national army that later resulted into displacement of hundreds of people. The clashes resulted also into reducing villages to ashes. Luckily enough the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the population and the army was reached. As the saying goes, everything has an end, and every day is not Sunday. On October 2, 2015 at 8 o’clock English News Bulletin read on the National Television SSTV, surprised the nation when President Kiir issued an order that has remained controversial up to this moment. The order 36/2015 that created the 28 states, was scorned by the opposition camp and the international community while it was received with jubilation and applauded by the citizens. As the year was reaching its climax, many stakeholders expressed discontent with political development in the country. However, 2015 has proven to the country as a year of political rehearsal. I know many may disagree or agree with me on that, bringing me to a point to ask whether it was hectic year or relieving year ever to the government.
While applauding with joy the achievements of the 2015, one could modestly conclude by saying that it was a good year for peace, stability and restoration of hope for the citizens after a decade of lack of services delivery and ravage inter-communal conflicts that were centered within the two regions of the Greater Upper Nile and Greater Bahr-el Ghazal. But as the year was winding up, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement [SPLM] shocked its members and supporters by dissolving its National Secretariat structures through a resolution from the National Liberation Council that runs the errand of the ruling party, a move that nearly put the Arusha agreement into dustbin. So was this resolution a historic one, or another political tactics to waste time on the formation of Transitional Government of National Unity [TGNOU]?
As many people were still despising and mounting criticism on the creation of 28 states, President Salva Kiir delivered a creditable and first-ever Christmas Eve gift to the nation. On 23rd December 2015, President Kiir implemented the amended transitional constitution in which the establishment order /36 was included , by appointing 28 state governors, a move that up to date has led the citizens to continuously celebrate the New year with jubilations. In conclusion, 2015 was the worst year ever for the young nation in-terms of economic hardship in the country.
Things went astray in the markets characterized by profiteering Market dealers in the country. Lack of proper monetary policies and regulations put in place by the lawmakers and the Central Bank of South Sudan immediately led to the disappearance of food commodities in the markets and traders took the opportunity to hike the little available goods prices to the point where low income earners could not afford to put food on the table for his/her family. Traders were in high gear to decide prices based on interest. Skyrocketing of food commodities prices in 2015 was like a “ticking bomb” which meant “a survival for the fittest.”
The fuel shortages issue was used by black marketers as a means for quick accumulation of wealth get rich quickly while the top government line institutions, which were supposed to control the prices became spectators’ seated and enjoying a match between Manchester United and Arsenal clubs.
I want to draw the attention of the reader that the article was written to reflect on the best achievements during the last year and on what difficulties that were confronted with an aim of finding possible solutions. Putting the question of whether certain scenarios were either historic or chaotic is to remind ourselves as the citizens of this nation including our government, on how we can find the best answers to the problems in order to come up with possible solutions that may lead us to avoid what can bring similar problems in future.
To be continued……………………………
Daniel Majack Kuany lives in Juba and can be reached at kuanyalier@gmail.com
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