Are all 28 governors qualified for SPLM’s Vision and mission to build South Sudan?
By David Matiop Gai, Juba, South Sudan
February 4, 2016, (SSB) — All parties in world are guided by their rules and regulations. The party principles are to safe guide the rights of individuals and uses of these rights in a correct manner. The history of SPLM since its formation in 1983 was broke out mutinies in barrack of Malual Chat in Bor and later on turned to movement to liberate marginalized people of the Sudan, whereas Southern Sudan want to be independence country. In short, majority of South Sudanese are not acquainted with SPLM policy although they occupied national offices all over the country! SPLM vision is a song many like to sing but they didn’t’ like it because they did not start it and never finished with. So will the vision reach the grass root levels? The question is lying between us and if you say yes or no, the choice is yours!
The key pillars of politics that bring social development are popular indicators of federal system of governance like 28 states created in Oct 2, 2015 and attractiveness to the public as a strategy of social democratic system of governance and development extension of towns to rural areas which people expected from the government to them for quiet long time. The high expectations for the citizens from the government have curved the attention of people right from the birth of a new nation, but referendum exercise to independence in 2011 could avoid the blame.
I always like quoting Dr. John Garang’s words simply his words speak sense and meaning. During the years of struggle, John Garang spoken many poems and parables, and I have quoted three words as references to this article. In 2005 during the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement, (CPA), he said,” SPLM will take towns to the people rather than people to towns”. Twenty eight states are just portion of SPLM vision and mission of taking towns to the people. The ruling party has many responsibilities to handle the high expectations for citizens and the promises during the struggle. In all visitation of Dr. John to different areas control by SPLA before he signed the final document of the comprehensive peace agreement in 2005, Dr. John Garang also spoke out his doubt about South Sudanese men and women that, “if a owner of the house organized things inside his/her house, you can’t send somebody in your dark house, a person who is not acquainted on how the house is organized inside otherwise if this person is send in the house, he/she will break things in the house”, meaning SPLM as a party who fought the Sudan for 21 years are the SPLM officers who know the SPLM vision and mission, and the management of national affairs because they know why they fought for 21 years?
But for the sake of peace, the government makes continuous integration of militias from 2005 up to 2010 whereby the right SPLA soldiers in bush were not part of the existing national army anymore. Many SPLA soldiers become civilians. South Sudanese who were not SPLM before become SPLM by chance not by choice, and SPLM adapted dangerous wolves on her neck, a mistake of a severe punishment on oneself.
In Oct 2, 2015, the establishment of order No: 36 for the creation of 28 new states in the country was welcome by 98.82 % of civilian population compared to 98.83 % of referendum in 2011, but what were the criteria of choosing states governors? Some say, constituencies were consulted through SPLM leagued, other said, communities were the one who chose their leaders before SPLM finally selection of the governors, but still others say, politicians persuaded the president to nominate whoever they want to become governor of the state. These exercises are bit confusing if they were used as means of selection.
Many people are saying the creation of 28 states is devolution of powers closure to people but it is more than that. It is the right of South Sudanese people for social democratic system of governance; it is a right which was denied by Khartoum government against Southerners for so long. It is a right of our country’s sovereignty. It is our right of the nation’s territory. Since the creation of Adam, South Sudan never experienced this kind of development in their lives. It is also a development of nation and connectivity of new infrastructures which never passed in new created states. Creation of 28 states is like 10 sons and 5 daughters of a man who grown up and being marriage to their homes but later still they are children of the same father and mother, they owned their homes but the same family, that is right example of 28 states in South Sudan.
The cause of my writing is the truth of 28 states governors, their background and SPLM vision. Some might be SPLM protégé, or person guided by SPLM elders, or others might be SPLM loyalists, people who sacrifices their lives for the sake of the nation and people at large since the formation of SPLM to the present. And others might be SPLM supporters, those who clap their hands for SPLM victory. That is why it is very important to know which criteria are these states governors fall under? If some governors are SPLM protégé, there is a big problem because anybody who is guided by experienced of other person relies on the experiences of others and they don’t make and analyze their own decisions. If other groups of governors are supporters, it is bigger problem because supporters come closer when the party is in power and deny you when you are grow weak and weaker. And finally if some governors are SPLM loyalists, fantastic, these are the qualified SPLM governors who are also needed to execute their vision of being SPLM.
The essences of 28 governors are the fact of previous action by citizens for welcoming governors to their respective states capitals. I want to underline one common thing in SPLM Party; SPLM thinks everybody in the South Sudan is SPLM, and with this mistake, SPLM as a party use to put wrong people in power for SPLM tickets. I want to tell the truth because the truth can set us free or there is a saying in Dinka that “if you want to tell the truth in other side of the community which you want to adjust or did not belong to, take along with yourself a stick for your protection” which mean truth is always painful. We are all South Sudanese in the Republic of South Sudan, but we are not all SPLM otherwise SPLM should know this to avoid inconveniences. I don’t want to mention those who destroyed the SPLM vision to the people and also denial excesses to people because now we are for peace but they are there.
In conclusion, Dr. John Garang said, “SPLM will be a party where citizens pursue their representatives where are schools, hospitals, roads”. The objectives, vision, mission, and aims of the party are not plan and executed as expected by non partisans. I am not campaigning for removal of non SPLM governors but I would like the Chairman to monitor them to giving social services to our societies in term of schools/education, hospitals/health care, roads and transportations, clean water, security, agriculture and we will accept them as qualified SPLM governors. Thank for this reading, be bless all.
The author is a Co-founder of National Mental Health Care Organization; he holds Bachelor degree in social work and social administration, Bachelor degree in Theology from CLT Montana, USA, and a fellow researcher. He can be reach at tonggaid551@yahoo.com/davidmatiopgai@gmail.com.
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