Our national legislative assembly is being dominated by sons and daughters of the deceased MPs
Malek Arol Dhieu, South Sudanese writer and journalist
By Malek Arol Dhieu, Juba, South Sudan
Friday, 20 September 2024 (PW) — I almost fainted when I heard the news of extension of elections to 2026. One of the annoying things is to be led by a leader of someone’s choice. I had wanted to choose a leader of my choice, but unfortunately, the presidency shocked me. I voted in 2010 elections, but my choice has long expired.
Both state and national MPs representing me are no longer my choice, they are too outdated and illegitimate to represent me. Mind you, some MPs have kicked the bucket and have been replaced by their sons and daughters; a practice that goes against the constitution. By 2026, state and national legislative assemblies shall have been dominated by sons and daughters of the deceased MPs. Who would substitute MPs represent?
The greater the suffering, the greater the recovery period. There is no type of crisis that South Sudanese have never experienced. War, hunger, bad governance, economic meltdown, corruption, tribalism, salary delay, poor education, poor healthcare system, poor infrastructure, and the list of crisis continues. The extension of elections means the extension of such crises. The economy, since the economic cluster remains the same, will continue deteriorating.
The presidency, since the President and Vice Presidents remain as incompetent as they are, will continue making uninformed decisions that are of its interest and not the interest of the citizens. Corruption and tribalism, since corrupt and tribal leaders remain in power till 2026, will continue eroding South Sudan. As the civil servants and soldiers have gone unpaid for 11 months in 2024, they would go unpaid for 12 months in 2025 and much longer than that in 2026.
Elections were much anticipated to allow South Sudan grow as a teenage country. Nothing is going on in all the offices in South Sudan. What is going on is counteraction. In an office headed by an SPLM member, his deputy, who is an SPLMIO/OPP member or a SSOA member cannot agree to do one thing as each of them works in the interest of his party. In an office headed by an SPLMIO/OPP or SSOA member and deputised by an SPLM member, it is much worse as SPLM intimidates other parties.
Even if SPLMIO says “water is life”, SPLM would say “water is not life” while everyone knows water is life. When other parties are given a chance to have a say on the agendum “water is life”, they would say something contrary just to pull a rope as politics dictates. When one party makes a decision and embarks on its implementation, just like SPLM had proposed elections, other parties oppose it so radically.
When stakeholders see it as something that may take people back to the bush, they can come together and conditionally agree on one thing. This conditional agreement on one thing compromises the lives of the innocent South Sudanese. What was the reason for which SPLM fought a 21-year old war? It was the love for the people of South Sudan. Why would leaders who fought for 21 years split their own revolutionary movement and use it for destroying the country?
The same president. The same Vice Presidents. The same political parties. The same unpatriotic political will and above all, the same greed for power. What would the 2-year period change? The presidency would be more incapacitated than it is now. Elections should have been held so that South Sudanese vote for leaders of their own choices. A wise dictator rigs elections, but a foolish one extends elections.
Thanks for reading my column “Sowing The Seed Of Truth”.
The author, Malek Arol Dhieu, is a medical student at the University of Juba and can be reached via his email address: Malek Arol Dhieu <malengaroldit@gmail.com>
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