The roots & motives: Why the ministry of finance is renamed “Kuach Business Center”
8 min readExamine the roots and motives of why the National Ministry of Finance renamed as ‘‘Kuac Business Center’’
By Abel Amet Amet – Juba, South Sudan
Saturday, February 9, 2019 (PW) — I would want to preface this commentary by reminding ourselves of the important citation remarks uttered by two of the Great Philosophers and authors, which I consider are of much relevance here. Aristotle had once been quoted to have remarked ‘‘Poverty is the Parent of the Revolution and Crime’’. Benjamin Franklin advised: “Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”
Over the past few days, South Sudanese have been struggling with what interpretation would suit the best explanation of why Zachariah Makuac Maror mounted an attack on the personalities of the Minister of Finance, Hon. Garang Mabiordit and Kuac Community alike. Many people mostly youngsters and middle ages have apparently reacted differently with majority condemning the act as bigotry. With my analysis, I may not be quite incomparable from what have been discussed and speculated; and therefore remain remorseful to the readers for the boredom on the same topic.
To jog the memory and draw the attention of the readership, it was on Wednesday, 30th January 2019 that a man named Zachariah Makuac Maror stormed the world with an article addressed openly to President Kiir requesting him to dethrone Minister Garang Mabior Wol over what he alleged: ‘‘Turning of South Sudan’s National Ministry of Finance & Economic Planning to be Kuac Business Center’’.
In an attempt to convince the President and public, Zachariah Makuac articulated that Hon. Garang Mabiordit employs people only on recommendation from Kuac Community Leadership; has failed in the fight for the badly needed economic reform; established corruption scheme called ‘‘Kuac Rescue Program’’ in the Ministry; adopted 3-month employment system and that he has replaced Ministry employees with Kuac Community members whose statistics constitutes 70% of the entire Ministry workforce.
Until today since he published this article, many South Sudanese and members of Kuac community in particular have been forced to voluntarily give part of their time to think of what intention lies at his subconscious brain to publish this article. Of particular interest is not why Minister Garang has been publicly criticized over his alleged failure in the fight for economic reform but the link of Minister’s failure with Kuac Community – a mere community like other South Sudanese Communities.
As always the world is, a fraction of the population – mostly the accomplices applauded the decision branding it a ‘‘heroism’’ and ‘‘needed courage in politics’’. Nevertheless majority of the people accused Makuac of being highly motivated and that was why he wrote his article emotionally, impulsively and at a complete loss of thought.
‘‘What are the roots & motives of why the Ministry is renamed: ‘‘Kuac Business Center?’’
Thus far I have timed myself to carefully examine the roots and realities aligned to this very claim. As opposed to those who believe that Zachariah Makuac was emotional and impulsive; I am of the slight view that Makuac was both contemplative and impulsive. He has given thought to some ideas only that the id’s pleasure principle and Achilles’ heel related to academic and intellectual reasoning have betrayed and paddled him to a river of confusion………but this is not the point in time.
From psychological point of’ view, it is believed that human being is born with a conscience of knowing what is right and wrong guided and directed by an ego’s reality principle and superego’s principle if at all the id’s pleasure principle get burned at the right time. However, for any human being, these principles depend upon how environment presents itself to each and every individual.
Unfavorable presentation greatly influences and reshapes a complete expectation of the mankind no matter what is morally expected out of him or her. I mean the ill-fated situation of South Sudan created by politics with no change in sight must serve as a driving force and could prevail over the conscience. It has not to be ethical or conventional when fighting reaction formation for it might not be effective or counterproductive.
Generally speaking, the economic situation of many people in this country is dire; particularly that of young people of our age (me included). However, considering the gravity of such matter at hand, I can sympathize and attest that Zachariah Makuac’s reaction to the situation is far better than those who have already skewed to deadly and other crafty means of livelihoods. Comparatively speaking, dead bodies are not exhumed to life but reputation is regained with time. My assessment is that Makuac’s reaction is not negativity per se; it is the reaction to negative feelings.
So far the Country’s civil war has uprooted sources of livelihoods, created tribalism, affected social fabrics, caused unequal distribution of wealth and pitted people of different backgrounds against each other. Politics appears somewhat a justified ladder of quick access to wealth. Examples of such view can be traced when politicians’ office staff members are seen driving countless V8 and storey buildings abroad compare to Departments’ Directors leaves alone the common man on street.
This necessitates the inclination of many youth and middle ages in the country to uncalled activism, thievery activities and rebellions of no purpose. Almost every day, the office of the president receives framed or open letters requesting it to dismiss or appoint different personalities – with one objective in mind i.e. none other than trying the luck if the pens could effect change and eventually the pen bearers get substituted in. The overall goal is to certify the id’s principles aimed at maximizing personal income and enhanced the needed popularity. Hon. Garang Mabior Wol and Kuac Community could be the victims of the search for the ‘‘same goal’’.
Why this approach, linking national figure with the community?
What is so funny to this particular activist (as he claims to be) is why he linked the Community with Government institution. In my analysis, here are some of the reasons he thought the linkage and complementarity would be of great advantage:
- Conditional inducement: It was not the intention of Zachariah Makuac in the first place to implicate the Community falsely. But the inducement made by director(s) of the scheme might have influenced him unknowingly given his academic and intellectual naivety. If you take his argument that Minister Garang has adopted a three-month employment system, you will not hesitate to deduce that he ‘‘was hired’’ by those who had once been Minister’s subordinates. Policy wide, no Minister has authoritative right to employ or dismiss any staff within his/her Ministry apart from Ministry of Public Service – except Office Managers. This is undeniable fact. To prove the inducement, Makuac is credited and currently being driven by a driver he has control over perhaps for the grace period.
- Sellout Community in return of political position: After careful and contemplative study, Zachariah Makuac convinced himself that injuring the community image will earn him credit and strength from aspiring non-kuac member who may succeed Hon. Garang Mabiordit in case President Kirr buys in his request in order to enjoy services of the-would be incoming Minister. It was until 5/02/2019 Zachariah Makuac realized that the burden of proof for falsely incriminating Kuac Community is heavy; and therefore began to ruin the apology in what appeared in his face book page as ‘‘clarification’’. That apology is not in accordance with Benjamin Franklin advice. It is highly ruined with an excuse. I am in no doubt that his intellectual capacity will cause him another contradiction seeing this commentary. I mean he will deny having made any apology.
- Fight for fame: Obviously, there are some few youngsters within Kuac community who are fighting and blaming their fathers for not doing enough and for having not been famous so as they could be portrayed as fathers. I do not know how? Zachariah might be of this category and thus, he must employ a tactical approach so that he should be known widely at community level and eventually apologies as he is nearly stepping to.
- Fight for political popularity and external benefit: At political level, Zachariah Makuac planned to continue fighting Hon. Garang Mabiordit with alternative objective of provoking Minister to sue him to court during which he will get what we called ‘‘an achieved status’’ of political popularity. If Hon. Garang stands ground or pays deaf hears to this issue, then Zachariah Makuac will create another ploy which is none other than pretending to be undergoing-imaginary threat and eventually shift to plan B of seeking international bodies to support his self-imposed exile and excel in further education abroad.
With all these in mind, Makuac has been challenged by those who have firstly tried and became successful using the same means. Therefore he has finally resolved to employ any crafty means possible even if it means creating legal problem to himself or filing divorce lawsuit against own Community. To him, if the goal is achieved, the end will justify the means; Makuac contemplated as opposed to those who think he was writing impulsively.
Why other Communities, tribes and Ministry silent over the issue?
To other tribes it is only Dinka fighting over national cake; to other regions it is only Bhar El Ghazal fighting itself over its dominantly-controlled Ministry of Finance; to other Communities and neighboring States, it is only Gogrial communities fighting over who to benefit and why; to Gogrial Communities it is only Kuac Community Members who accuses each other of corruption so they are sitting on the fence watching the game; to the Ministry of Finance it is double-edged, the first edge considers it as a street man speaking so who cares giving him attention whereas the other edge is thinking on whether to file lawsuit for the libelous publication against Hon. Minister of Finance and Economics Planning, Republic of South Sudan.
The Commentator, Mr. Abel Amet Amet, is a Student of Education at the University of Juba, Department of Biology and Chemistry, and is reachable at his emaik: abelametamet@gmail.com.
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