Sensing the collapse of the State as Judges and Justices went on an Open Strike
5 min readBy Tong Kot Kuocnin, University of Nairobi, Kenya
May 30, 2017 (SSB) — In my previous article titled ‘Economic and Political uprising are civil means to end Unproductive Governments – published by Juba Monitor Daily Newspaper Vol. 6, Issue No. 651 at p 7, I succinctly explored in depth the economic hardships that befell on Tunisian to that befalling on South Sudanese.
Truly, the economic hardships we’re facing are not less than the economic hardships and situation which caused President Ben Ali of Tunisia to flee, President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen to leave office and fled and great President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to resign and put under trial.
The causes and conditions of this so-called Arab Spring which almost swept through the Arab world are not less than the economic hardships we’re facing in South Sudan. Our economic situation is much worse than that of the Arab Spring World. Our unemployment rate is beyond hundred per cent level.
Hundreds of south Sudanese goes to bed with an empty stomach. Some are already dead and the rests are on their way to graves. This is worse than that of the Arab Spring. The only difference is that we’re used to enduring hardships of all sorts meanwhile the citizens of the countries where the Arab spring burst aren’t used to this kind of situation.
The Bank of South Sudan has commercialized dollar instead of keeping it as a medium of exchange. It has commercialized dollar, making it an item for trade and not a medium of exchange causing hikes in almost every item on sale in the market. Today, the rate of 1 dollar stood at 15. 200 SSP, meaning that one hundred dollar is equal to 15,200 SSP causing inflation rate to double more than 300%.
The two institutions, ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Central Bank have completely failed in tackling and strategizing the efficiency of our economy. It seems that in South Sudan, everything runs on its own. Traders are selling and raising prices on their own, Central bank floating the rate of the dollar as it wishes unquestionably.
The luckiest rich few are manipulating everything from the Ministry of Finance to the Central Bank down to the market at the expense of the downtrodden poor South Sudanese who have no ability to change the status quo. The authorities both at the ministry of finance and economic planning and the central bank together with their cohorts are responsible for this economic downturn.
We entrusted hyenas with responsibility to look after our goats and sheep. We gave them power to roast any goat or sheep they wish amongst our goats and sheep. The country is left at its own whim to turn its economic downturn into economic boom magically.
We’re convinced truly and beyond reasonable doubt that our government whether previous or current is indeed boondoggled government. We’re undoubtedly convinced that our government has miserably failed to turn our economic fortunate’s into meaningful economic downturn.
Where’s the Joshua? Or is he the driver of this vehicle that is taking South Sudanese to hell earlier than the days that God planned to them each at a time. There is always no money when it comes to the payment of Judges and Justices but there is always money the government officials can steal.
There is always money to pay the judges and justices of our beloved judiciary but there is always a hell of money used to buy off those who oppose the government. Let our government know that the root causes of the Arab Spring aren’t more than ours and that Arab Spring may inevitably ensued in this part of the world for we may be forced to violently demand our socio-economic rights to food and decent living like them.
We can’t permit others to enjoy live at our expense on resources that belongs to all of us. Thus, if the president can’t think twice to bring in responsible personalities with expertise both at the ministry of finance and at the central bank, to turn things around, he must be prepared for eventualities for the people of South Sudan will not in any way continue to suffer at the hands of selfish and corrupt leaders who buy their positions at the expense of the people.
If Michael Makuei says that judges, teachers and other public servants who went on strike are working for the regime change, then how about those who stealth 4 billion dollars which is still missing to date and, those who stole 30 million SSP and 14 million dollars that caused Mayen Wol and his associates a life imprisonment sentence, how about the two former ministers of finance and cabinet who took 8 million dollars? what were they working for?
Makuei must come to his senses and realize that it is no time that they play with our minds as they wish. There will be time when the people of South Sudan stand up to forcefully demand their socio-economic rights from these oligarchs and mafias. We will surely touch these untouchable mafias and oligarchs who scoop all our money for their selfish enrichment unless they rescue themselves from this shambles.
I assure you, economic and political uprising as civil means of ending the life of a repugnant and an unproductive government like the government of South Sudan will be inevitable. Mr. President, this is a fact. Look at the faces of South Sudanese; listen to their voices on the streets on how they are suffering. The state is collapsing at your watch.
Your government is at a stake. Act swiftly and salvage the country and its people. The collapse of the Judiciary is the collapse of the state. Pay the judges so that they resumes their work.
You can reach the author via his email: bullen tong <tongbullen@gmail.com>
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