Civil Society’s Role in the 2024 Poll: A Pathway to Effective Leadership in Central Equatoria State
Umba Peter Bosco
By Umba Peter Bosco, Juba, South Sudan
Monday, 18 September 2023 (PW) — Critical moments such as the increasing demand for adequate public services of good quality by the citizens in the peripheries of Central Equatoria State, especially in Terekeka county, require citizen-centred decisions to be made by the state’s leaders. Ensuring effective service delivery calls for adopting transformational servant leadership that focuses on the people, their needs, and interests.
Jude Choate, who ran the election division for the Colorado secretary of state office in the 2012 election in the United States, underlined the importance of ‘unaffiliated’ voting and how it denied Mitt Romney the chance to secure the votes and win over Barrack Obama.
Similarly, the people of Central Equatoria State can apply this approach in next year’s elections by opting to vote for independent candidates who could form a citizen-centred government that works for the interest of the general population rather than just serving the interests of specific individuals or groups of people aligned to a particular political party.
The anarchic situation in the state created by those individuals with military backgrounds occupying political offices and local government positions in local government structures contributes to inefficiency in service delivery as the focus of many government institutions and officials is diverted to security.
The state government’s subversion of the citizens and their grievances have set an undesirable priority that will likely influence voters’ behaviours and preferences for candidates in next year’s elections. The tendency of state authorities of accounting to appoint officers rather than constituencies also presents a significant challenge to the aspirations of various political elites, especially those in the SPLM party.
Once a vibrant state with inclusive and tolerant political institutions, the current politics in Central Equatoria State has been turned into a game of survivalism in which individual government officials and politicians focus on personal wealth accumulation rather than ensuring proper utilisation of available resources to deliver services to the public.
As a result, massive corruption across various state institutions has resulted in the loss of valuable public assets and vast sums of money within a short period since 2020.
One important role the people of Central Equatoria State can play in addressing the problems facing them is participating in next year’s poll and ensuring that they vote in leaders they can easily hold to account. Unlike those affiliated and loyal to political parties or the army, independent civilian candidates enjoy the community’s support and are easier to keep to account.
The role of civil society in ensuring a safe political space is, therefore, vital. It must be supported by the international community and diplomatic missions to encourage independent candidates to step onto the stage and compete in the political space freely and effectively. Empowering civil society will ensure a vibrant civic space that promotes and facilitates active and free participation by citizens in politics, particularly in the upcoming elections.
Civil society is an important institution that plays a crucial role in educating voters and advocating for legislation that safeguards civil and political rights. It is worth noting that the integrity of any election depends on the level of engagement by civil society in all levels of preparations for its conduct. Therefore, the civil society’s role in next year’s poll is crucial in ensuring effective leadership in Central Equatoria State.
The author, Umba Peter Bosco, is a South Sudanese political scientist and conflict analyst and can be reached via umbapeter28@gmail.com
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