Jonglei Watch: Form over Substance
4 min readBy Malith Alier, Juba, South Sudan
March 8, 2016 (SSB) — Before, the October 2nd 2015 presidential order partitioning South Sudan into 28 states, Jonglei state was ran by one John Koang as governor and Baba Medan as his deputy.
John reigned from late 2013 to late 2015 – a period of three good years at the helm despite lack of support from the grassroots. He was virtually an unpopular figure supported by central government and few ministers on the ground in Bor. Two things made John Koang unpopular and isolated; the war along ethnic lines and lack of working relationship with the war affected people of the three Counties of Duk, Twic East and Bor.
John was confined to Jonglei government state house (JGH), his office and airport route to Juba. Sometimes he was seen taking charcoal and salaries to UNMISS to members of his Nuer community who have self exiled themselves there. This angered the inhabitants of Bor County whose land was the seat of his government.
To all people of Greater Bor; “But I tell you don’t jump too much because if you do so, your legs will break, and if you are annoyed too much, it will have an impact on you.” John Koang Nyuon mocked the jubilant Bor residents on the news of 28 states.
Though I do not necessarily agree with the governor on the formation of his government, it’s his prerogative to appoint ministers and advisers on his own terms. He did not have to consult anybody on this. However, he may consult if he chooses but the buck stops with him on this.
Regardless of County the appointees are from the bottom line is service delivery to all. Until now they haven’t yet began work to be accused of not delivering services to all counties of Jonglei State.
People of Jonglei should know that form is not valuable over substance. Governor Aguer Panyang is aware of the issues of form over the substance. And maybe he’s using the old power ratios prior to his appointment as governor of the state.
His cabinet is the form and what it is going to deliver is the substance and this is what we should all be concerned about. What have you done other than where do you come from should be the question to ask the governor and his cabinet.
During the time of John Koang and his deputy Baba Medan nobody complained about anything. The fact that john and Baba had no political supporters left in Jonglei didn’t matter and so was what he was doing for the state.
There existed an awful silence among the citizens of the three Counties of Bor, Twic East and Duk. Did that mean that the now complaining folks were happy with that government? Or does it mean that if you come from one of the three sisterly counties one is dominating?
John came from a rebellious County and Baba hailed from a neighbouring state of GPAA but none questioned either form or substance except one strong woman called Dook Chuor. She was even arrested with her group but nobody questioned her detention.
The three sisterly counties seem to be more concern of the domestic scores than external scores. United people fight off external aggression before domestic matter. Our enemies are able to exploit our division year in year out. The Murle scourge persists because people of the three counties never agree on a single strategy to handle it. We‘re exploited by outsiders because of this weakness. How can we explain the rule of John Koang and Baba Medan for more than three years?
I am sure if ten states weren’t partitioned to form more we wouldn’t have these complaints now. Nobody would have talked of percentages and we would have been going on with our lives whether we are suffering or not. The deep political slumber would have continued.
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