How will South Sudan make viable democracy without political tolerance of dissenters and plurality of ideas?

There is no viable democracy without political tolerance of dissenters and plurality of ideas

By Kuek Deng Kuek, Juba, South Sudan

Monday, July 27, 2020 (PW) — In democracy it is all always significant to make decisions out of divergent views and ideas like in other parts of the world for instance in US there are many parties like Republican and Democratic parties among others, one party pushes for socioeconomic philosophy and the other pushes for rules of laws.

That is simply what Democracy is all about. Democracy is defined as the government by people for people and above all it is all about creating space for either majority or minority.

If at all we want to talk about issues of governance or we want to make a great south Sudan then multiparty system of governance must be put in place in oder to simply get rid of this tribal mindset and we strive as south Sudanese and as one people in one nation.

It was a great thing during the days of liberation struggle when our people were very united for cause and we did manage altogether to resist Arab oppression and I think that was all about unity of purpose.

In real sense for us to move forward we must have strong political parties that would compete for the betterment of south Sudan to create a political atmosphere where a new political dispensation would take place hence a new political space is created for everybody, therefore, we shall get  south Sudan reformed or transformed  politically.

In Kenya Prof. Makau Mutua says that for Kenya to be peaceful, we must accept that there are issues in Kenya one of which is a lack of political space that the establishment or the government of the day has  given to us them to ventilate our views as much as possible that it is only when the regime sit on people’s views this is where the whole thing blown up, that democracy exists when there are divergent views expressed, that for any nation to have a viable democracy then there are always dissenters who can push the other side opposite for the betterment of their nation.

I think similar ideas are needed in south Sudan for it to solve its tribal issues through democracy, rules of laws and good  governance, something that I believe will be achieved through the implementation of revitalized Peace Agreement on the Resolution of Conflicts in South Sudan.

If the parties to the agreement implement the peace agreement in letter and spirit I think the whole country will be transformed and we peacefully get to national elections to exercise our democracy.

Just like immediately after the war has stopped and the agreement is now being implemented, it is going to give us a platform where general election would take place and we get to elect leaders as citizens for example to elect MPs both to the states assemblies and to the national assembly therefore, that will be a great political space given to us as citizens in order to exercise our democratic rights and values.

We need to push for the implementation of the peace agreement so that we get that political atmosphere. When we talk of revitalized Peace, we definitely need all the chapters of peace agreement implemented like establishment of hybrid court for south Sudan where culpability would be accepted and some leaders don’t work for emoluments of themselves.

A truth reconciliation and healing commission is established till we get to elections with our any grudges against anybody.

A great Kenya Politician Mr. Raila Odinga says that for democracy to be ensured the ground must be leveled so that the incumbents don’t run against themselves to be referee and players at the same time he says there must be democracy where there is a possibility for the opponent to also win, he said this he when he was refuting the results of August 2017 elections.

And that was the first time in Africa where the supreme court overturned elections under the pretext that there were illegalities and irregularities that had been discovered during an elections therefore, the supreme court nullified the elections that it was not done in accordance with the constitution and the laws of the country hence, President Kenyatta is to go for rerun polls.

Something that has now worked in Malawi where Lazrus Chakura was recently elected in rerun presidential polls against President Peter Matheraka.

Africa is now learning politically and gradually to be a Democratic continent in the world. And if so South Sudan should be number one in spearheading it. MPs should not stay long again, they have to give other people a chance to be elected to their seats.

In United States if you are elected twice as an MP then you are done politically, but for us here one is elected three times and he is still insisting to be member of Parliament.

Therefore, how will south Sudan make viable democracy, if dissenters do not exists.

The writer is a concern citizen of south Sudan and he can be reached via kuekdengkuek@gmail.com

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