A Reason to celebrate the new choice for Bor Mayor, Hon. Ghai Makhor Leek
By Philip Thon Aleu, Kampala, Uganda
January 4, 2018 (SSB) — Home is sweet and though hundreds of kilometres away, one keeps his ears to the ground for any news. The latest news is that businessman Gai Makor Leek is appointed the third mayor of Bor Municipality by Jonglei State Governor Philip Aguer. Congratulations. Gai replaces second Bor mayor Prof. Hakim Ajieth Buny
There is a reason to celebrate Gai’s appointment. Gai has his families and businesses in Bor. Most senior government officials keep their children and wives outside the country. In effect, deficiency in services delivery is not felt by their families. Their children don’t experience studying in poor schools, they don’t go to ramshackle health centres.
New Bor mayor Gai Makor Leek beat them here because his family and businesses are in Bor. A leader, as a matter of practicality, should benefit from the services he/she delivers to the people so that lack of service delivery will hit the family of a leader as well. Leaders who have their families in the different world from the people enjoy kings’ lifestyles.
It’s therefore unworthy to castigate Gai as a person selected without merits. I should congratulate Governor Philip Aguer for making this appointment and I urge him to ensure that future appointments for county commissioners, MPs and state ministers prioritize those whose families are within Jonglei state.
If all governors adopt this requirement, Juba will be decongested of “State Coordination Offices.” Anyone dreaming to hold public office should have his/her families at least in South Sudan or within the area of his/her jurisdiction.
This is important in restraining politicians from turning our country into night stations of work to receive salaries and to enjoy in their true homes: the true home being where your children go to school in secured environment (I’m not referring to the former mayors of Bor here but any politician, me included if I become one).
Gai and I come from the same local administrative area, Makuach, but I don’t write here as his brother. The truth is, a leader shouldn’t be alien to the people. Gai is the owner of White Nile Hotels (two branches in Bor, one in Gulyar/Mingkaman and one in Juba, Sherikaat area.) It’s his choice to join politics and I strongly believe he has a reason or two that would benefit the public.
One lesson we should appreciate is that politics is not tied to a particular fulfilment in life. You may need to go to school to become a politician, others will enter the business and turn politician to address challenges facing the community is in that area. Others may choose to lead without any individual’s success story. But the community will remember a leader on what he delivered while in power, not what he achieved before entering public life.
The last time we met, I and Gai never discussed any forthcoming development. Because it’s difficult to meet leaders these days and appointed politicians’ jobs disappear like morning dew, I have a message for him: Do your job diligently and don’t listen to distractors. There are many people out crying foul.
One reason being cited is that Gai is not educated and can’t replace a Doctor. What is vital in leadership is not western education but the ability to deliver the services to your subjects. Of course, Prof. Hakim Ajieth Buny did his best during his tenure. The ball is now in your court and being with the community throughout the ups and downs should be an asset on your side.
Good luck.
2018@ PTA
Philip Thon Aleu has Bachelor Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Ndejje University, Uganda. As a journalist, Philip started his career as a reporter for Sudan Tribune website in Jonglei State (2007) and moved to work for UN’s Radio Miraya (2010), Voice of America (VOA) and BBC Focus on Africa. He is currently working with a diplomatic mission in Juba as a political analyst but the views expressed in this article are not from that embassy. Contact: pthonaleu@gmail.com
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