We should stop blaming President Kiir for everything in South Sudan
By Thon Madol Mathok, Kampala Uganda
December 14, 2017 (SSB) — Kiir we know in history is a devoted man who worked together with John Garang and other heroes to liberate our land. He loves South Sudan, he knows the value of South Sudan because they experienced how many lives, times and energy it had caused them during liberation war to get South Sudan.
In our intuitive reasoning, one cannot destroy what he has built, likewise Kiir as some folks claim he is the one destroying South Sudan while we know vividly in our history the enemy of progress those who disrupted and delayed SPLA forces to achieve South Sudan are there. As South Sudan was granted autonomy 6 years to decide their fate.
H.E. President Salva Kiir was vice president of Sudan in general and president of South Sudan in particular deputized by Riek Machar. Salva was faced with two roles to play, therefore he had to share roles with his comrade Riek Machar. This means he had to delegate some governing duties in South Sudan to Riek to oversee while he was in the National government of unity in Khartoum.
In other words he was not completely alienated from South Sudan governing, he was in liaison with his deputy and others. In this period, lack of developmental programs were blame on him yet Riek was delegated South Sudan duties to run, here if a Senior delegated responsibilities and duties to subordinate, the action and results are attributed to subordinate.
In this case if any one did not witness development in 2005 to 2011 then he/she should blame Riek Machar and others.
In 2011 Salva Kiir gained or shoulder full responsibility of South Sudan. Upon getting independence, development in South Sudan began to accelerate at a rapid pace and I would like to quote Mr. Museveni acknowledgement about South Sudan development. He attended independence ceremony in 2011 when South Sudan was witnessed by the world as a new nation and again was invited by Salva to attend South Sudan 3rd anniversary in 2013.
On arrival in Uganda he told Ugandan that “South Sudan is developing very fast, Juba is in different stage as compared to 2011 when I attended” indeed we South Sudanese would also recognize that Juba most especially was doubling pace to catch up with Kampala, Nairobi etc.
Unfortunately enemies of progress, started to sabotage government in order to slow it down simply because the development would be attributed to Salva Kiir, they discredited the government whose citizens have not yet complain for instance by taking to street to demonstrate dissatisfaction with the government.
They embarked on massive embezzlement through letters of credit to make government weak. I am quite sure from 2011 to 2013 there were no too much complaints as compared to nowadays because the government had now been derailed from where it was going, It is now in the path of destruction and bankruptcy orchestrated by enemies of progress.
It was witnessed when secret plot to topple Salva Kiir terribly failed to bear fruit and were backed by West, who the whole world realize they do not involved for good but to destroy, they are like a certain man whose slogan was if he found someone eating faeces, he would help him to eat it very well and if he found someone drinking urine, he would help him drink it very well. He was a no nonsense guy, that is west slogans as well.
Coming to serving in public offices, it is a clear saying that “piny ci OK kooth guur thin” simply “the land we struggled for”. I have never heard Mr. President saying it single day, this is said by those serving in the government, and this is an indication of corruption.
Government can only be effective when its citizens are patriotic and want to serve the country with integrity yet Salva Kiir is blame for corruption when his subordinates has declared corruption even a president of US will not stop it. Salva Kiir set up anti-corruption committee to at least minimize corruption but they tend to cooperate to misappropriated money and go back to him and Present cook report.
What else can you do in undeveloped country where technology is not yet employed? I witnessed this myself, a cashier who served in the government borrowed my money when the date was due to collect my money. He told me that a committee was sent to them to oversee them and to dispense money direct to people this time as well, I was aware of the committee so I heard nothing to say.
Little did I know he cooperated with committee members to share leftover money and he paid me on that money? Can you blame Mr. President on this dishonest officials? Even when he changed one with another, still the new one is worse than the gone one. He even urge Ministers, MP’s and other officials who put their sons and daughters in revenues sources such as customs at Nimule border, immigration for nationality and passport, airport etc. to stop these practices.
Lack of delivering services to the people is blame on Kiir, we see roads are not good, limited hospitals, limited schools, low technology etc., When one is not in the government he complain about things he sees government is not doing when Kiir appoint him, he doesn’t deliver the things he used to complain about only to resort to stealing money.
In fact it is not us alone who can see these things even Mr. President knows them. The question is if he knows all these, why is he not giving orders such that they can be done? The answer is government is not Salva Kiir alone it is a system. Government comprises legislature, judiciary and administration so he has to sit with his government to set priorities, He also has advisors who can offer some advices on what might be done.
He may give order for instance that he wants juba-Rumbek-Wau Road constructed but according to finance minister budget it may not be feasible so he has to drop it for later time. Health was allocated its own budget such that some money is used to buy medicines for all government hospitals in return money is misappropriated and rely on NGOs especially WHO to bring medicines.
Parliament does not bring up developmental agendas that need to be addressed or done, this may sometime force president to act on it, if it is most important to the people. Education sector was neglected by officials in government because they sent their children outside to study instead of building schools within for the benefit of both poor and rich, Salva Kiir cannot be blamed either, again he tried to change people still incoming one is worse than the former one.
How many ministers, deputies, governors has Mr. Kiir changed on several occasions still no work done for example ministry of finance has been changed many times in different persons hands still economic situation is worst. How many times did Kiir change lakes state governors yet inter clans fighting is not stopping?
He tried in 2013 when he changed whole cabinet because he received reports that services are not being delivered accordingly, loss of 4 billion dollars, the war was the result.
Sometimes anti-development fight very hard to eliminate those who are seen committed to serving the nation with good heart in order to pave the way for them to continue looting while deceiving Kiir.
Still Kiir is the problem otherwise we want him to divide himself into many in order to serve the country, what else can you do to a country where everyone adapted who am I to contribute yet others are eating and do not take country interest first, government officials are not contributing to development to see South Sudan be like developing countries but after satisfying their own interests.
We have neglected that individual contribution lead to national development.
We see problem is with Salva Kiir but we failed to see the problem lies within us. Libyan were blindfolded to see that problem was with Gadhafi and after they slaughtered him, the problem even worsen, therefore they found that the problem was within themselves.
The only problem with Kiir is that he is covering our problem, by the time he will leave south Sudanese will realize that the problem exactly lies in them and that is when we shall properly address it.
The writer is a student pursuing bachelor degree in accounting and finance from Kampala University. I can be reached via Thonpeter0@gmail.com.
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