Why South Sudanese are becoming the example of political garbage in East Africa
Excuse Me Junubiin, It Is a Smash in Each One of Us’s Face, Listen!
By Tito Awen Bol, Nairobi, Kenya
August 23, 2017 (SSB) — I am writing with the wishes that, “I wish illiteracy rate was not 63% in our Country. I wish most youth were not literately lazy to read, and I wish my name cannot form a barrier in the perception of the reader,” this message would have reached to many people outside there. I heard it from the driver and it impetuously grilled my brain and haunted me from the last few days up to today…please read it, I didn’t intend to write a long or complex article.
Few days to Kenya’s elections, I left Eldoret for South Sudan through Kakuma-Kapoeta road. On my way, I was called and advised by my elder brother to avoid travelling during election time and instead advised me further to spend days in Kakuma with some relatives as elections unfold. It (election) came to past and I thought of proceeding with my journey to Kapoeta and subsequently to Juba.
I caught an evening taxi from Kakuma town heading to Lokichoggio which was driven by a man I later knew to be known as Mr. Njuguna. I sat next to him (driver). We by-passed the main Kakuma Refugees Camp which is situated at the right ends of the road. After few minutes’ drive (around 10-15 minutes), here emerged the camp extension area (Kalobeyei) meant for new arrivals (South Sudanese refugees).
Surprisingly, Njuguna stopped the vehicle and looked at the dots of corrugated-iron-sheet shelters and said, “so some Kenyans need us to be like these people because of politics. That will never happen; we will never be like these people.” Hearing that, I tried to force the smile but tears well my eyes and I uncontrollably felt that drips of my tears passed and lined my cheeks.
He turned to me and asked, “why are you crying?” I tried to lie that I forgot my bifocal-lensed-glasses in the house where I was staying when indeed I had the spectacles in the back.
Njuguna innocently told me to drive us back so that I collect the spectacles. I told him that we can just proceed instead of taking the passengers back for my sake. He immediately noticed the whole story of my tears and told me that he is sorry. He continued to console me by saying that he said it out of love for Kenya not out of mockery.
Factually, what mocked my psychology and nationalism thus emotionally weakened me to shed my tears is not the statement said against my nationality. But what came to my mind was that I wish it was stated in the presence of every South Sudanese so that we could know if that man knows our tribes but of course he knows our nationality as South Sudanese.
How I wish every youth could take this challenge and we keep reminding ourselves that we are becoming the example of human or political garbage in Eastern Africa because we are incapable of solving our own problems.
I am still bitter and I thought to share the challenge with few who call themselves South Sudanese not really with those who call themselves tribes or regions! What have we done to our Country and our nation ladies gentlemen, horrible!
I didn’t write this piece against Njuguna or against his nationalistic statement but to share other people’s feelings toward the facts bedeviling our Country and our people…long live South Sudan.
Writer is a South Sudanese and a students’ leader in Kenya. He can be reached at his email: awenbol2007@yahoo.com
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