The visionless and destructive politics of South Sudan
7 min readDavid Deng Chapath, Kampala, Uganda
April 12, 2017 (SSB) — If there is anything that intrigues me most then it is the politics of South Sudan. What I do not understand complete is the line demarcating community and the government. Majority of the people have completely failed to understand that government is not based on communities but rather it is an independent entity that is independent even from the president. In other words, it appears that politics is never understood well.
By convention, politics is the process of making decisions applying to all members of each group. More narrowly, it refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance organized control over a human community, particularly a state. Furthermore, politics is the study or practice of the distribution of power and resources within a given community (this is usually a hierarchically organized population) as well as the interrelationship(s) between communities.
As some writers have observed it, a variety of methods are deployed in politics, which include promoting or forcing one’s own political views among people, negotiation with other political subjects, making laws, and exercising force, including warfare against adversaries. Politics is exercised on a wide range of social levels, from clans and tribes of traditional societies, through modern local governments, companies and institutions up to sovereign states, to the international level.
What is clear about politics is that all is politics is about power run through a political system. This is a framework which defines acceptable political methods within a given society as provided for in the Constitution, which lawyers often call law of the land.
Politics is a product of thought which makes it vary from one country to the other. In fact, history of political thought can be traced back to early antiquity, with seminal works such as Plato‘s Republic, Aristotle‘s Politics and the works of Confucius.
Politics is divided into two i.e. it can be formal and informal. Formal Politics refers to the operation of a constitutional system of government and publicly defined institutions and procedures. Formal politics deals with political parties, public policy or discussions about war and foreign affairs. Many people view formal politics as something outside of themselves, but that can still affect their daily lives.
However, informal Politics is Politics in government associations such as neighborhood associations, or student governments where student government political party politics is often important. In other words, informal Politics is understood as forming alliances, exercising power and protecting and advancing particular ideas or goals. Generally, this includes anything affecting one’s daily life, such as the way an office or household is managed, or how one person or group exercises influence over another. Informal Politics is typically understood as everyday politics, hence the idea that “politics is everywhere”
In South Sudan there is no respect for and fear of the government. Everybody wants to be a politician even if they do not deserve to be one because they are not fit to be in politics.
Some people are just there to trade words and consequently mixing up things and cause chaos to all people in politics. For instance, there are some people who are against President Kiir Mayardit but stay as if they are his friends while at the same time playing their games of destruction at the background. Hence, deceptive politics is the order of the day in Juba.
Some politicians are not good friends to the President. What they do is that they pretend as if they are friends to him and when they president rely on them they mislead him. This kind of people is very dangerous to deal with because they are typical enemies to the party.
While some people who are not at the same level with the President always attack him even though they have nothing to offer to South Sudan. The simple reason is that they are disgruntled and frustrated by their own way of life and instead of understanding that, they are out there attacking the president and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Party.
Having mentioned the SPLM, let me briefly explain to those who might not have clear knowledge about the SPLM before I continue with this discussion. Thus, what the people who are against the SPLM must understand is that the SPLM as historical political party in South Sudan is strong and we are ready to defend it. Those individuals must know that the reasons for forming the SPLM are still there and it is still strong party.
As we all know, the SPLM was initially founded as the political wing of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA, key protagonist of the Second Sudanese Civil War) in 1983. On January 9, 2005 the SPLA, SPLM and Government of Sudan signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, ending the civil war.
SPLM then obtained representation in the Government of Sudan, and was the main constituent of the Government of the then semi-autonomous Southern Sudan. When South Sudan became a sovereign state on 9 July 2011, SPLM became the ruling party of the new republic.
Hence, SPLM Party and the Government are still relevant to the people of South Sudan and any person who is out there trying to destroy the SPLM will fall miserably. We are ready to meet him or her and to prove to him or her that he or she is wrong.
Those who are against the SPLM and at the same time do not like the government of Kiir Mayardit must know that this government will reach its destination of liberating South Sudan even from the enemies within. It is rather unfortunate that some people play a double standard role between kiir and those are loyal to him by trying to create conflict between him and his supporters.
For example, when they see one of the Generals or ministers who is loyal to the President, they go to him (the president) and tell him that so and so is against him as he or she wants to replace him.
For instance, Mayiik Ayii Deng is one of the Ministers who has committed himself in serving South Sudan in his capacity as the Minister in the Office of the President but those who want power are running after him trying day and night that he should be removed, which I think the President will never accept.
Another example is General Malong Awan who committed himself to protecting the nation but his enemies ranging from rebels to within the country are running after him that he should be removed. These two examples show that there is a problem is South Sudan and the president should be careful not to be deceived with kiss.
In summary, my advice to the President, General Salva Kiir Mayardit is that he has to safeguard against visionless politics, political prostitution and destruction of South Sudan. There are those who are political prostitutes as what they look for is only power. So if you deny them power, they can either rebel or change party for someone who can give them political post and money.
President Kiir Mayardit should identify the true Generals or minsters that are loyal to him. The clear example is the Chief of General staff, Paul Malong Awan and General Daniel Awet Akot who are very committed to the SPLM cause. Such kinds of people are true people for one to rely on.
In short President should not deal with people Ngoth Malang calls in his songs that “ Koc ci root tau acacic…” which in English literally means those who are there without agenda for life but are just there to confuse the communities with senseless and useless politics.
NB//: the author is South Sudanese student residing in Uganda and can be reached through: dengdavid00@gmail.com
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