Why South Sudan Should Abolish States to Strengthen County Governments.
Map of Ruweng Administrative Area in Relation to Unity State
“Nothing is possible without men, but nothing lasts without institutions.”
Kuc Kol Jr., Juba, South Sudan
Summary
South Sudan current system of five levels of government is a complicated bureaucracy that hoards resources and limit service delivery at devolved levels. It should be reviewed to eliminate state governments and to strengthen county governments.
Counties should be the second level of government while maintaining payams and Bomas as the two lowest level of administration in the country.Empowered county governments will deliver services equitably, sufficiently and accountably due to their proximity with the local population coupled with devolved powers, autonomy and resources directly from national government.
Abolishing states in South Sudan will reinforce and boost county governments from increased budget, authority and autonomy to enhanced local participation, improved accountability, and improved service delivery at the grassroots.
1.0 Introduction
South Sudan inherited 10 states from Sudan during succession on 9th July 2011. States administration inthe then Sudan were a product of political unilateral decision by the government of National Congress Party which seized power in 1989 through military coup. The decision was a presidential decree declared in 1994 with limited public participation when Sudan was engulfed in a protracted civil war.1
The states administration in South Sudan are constitutionally a mini-nation with executive,legislative and judiciary branches which operate with partial autotomy from national government.
“State” is the second level of government further divided into counties while counties are partitionedinto Payams and Bomas.
Most states have large geographical area and huge population ranging from 300,000 to over a million people in each state .2
Governing states in South Sudan states have proven difficult and fragile due to resource constraints,political crisis, illiterate local population, vast geographical area with limited transport and communication infrastructure ; Above all weak local government at counties level due to insufficient funds, underpowered county administration, ineffectivecounty legislative council and limited judicial services are prime reasons why underdevelopment and insecurity are rampant in almost every state of South Sudan .3
Tackling governance crisis in South Sudan requiresthorough analysis beyond frequent changes of state governors to address mayhem of challenges affecting the youngest nation in the world; Government complex bureaucracy caused by many levels of government and ineffective local governments should be resolved to enhance timely and effective delivery of services to the lowest level.
2. Why Should State Governments Be Abolished
2.0 Introduction
Abolishing states in South Sudan will strengthen and empower county governments from increased budget, powers and autonomy to enhanced local participation, boosted accountability, and improved service delivery.
2.1 Effective Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches at County and Payam Levels.
In the absence of state governments, county governments will be fully operational with all its three branches of county executive departments, county legislative councils and county courts since statesbudget and various public officials and professionals currently at state ministries and commissions shall be transferred to their line departments at county levels were their careers and experiences are greatly desired. County Legislative Councils which are currently redundant due to budget constraints and inadequate capacity shall be operationalized to implement their legislative and oversight roles. County and Payam statutory Courts shall be expanded and strengthened touphold rule of law at local levels.
2.2 Increased Resources Allocation and Revenue generation.
County governments will receive sufficient budget as a result of eliminated huge state governments and shall generate more revenues due to enhanced autonomy, lessen bureaucracy and enriched capacity building. Transparency and accountability in revenue generation and allocation shall be improved as a consequence of effective executive, legislative and judicial organs at county and Payam levels.
Above all, a leaned government shall be realized when states governments are abolished and county governments budget will increase and eventually shall increase effective and efficient service delivery at lowest levels in the Payams and Bomas
2.3 Enhanced Local participation and autonomy
Local participation in decision making and governance shall be adequately achieved when county governments take charge of states functions and responsibilities.Current State governments are geographically and administratively farther away from the grassroots while current county governments have limited powers,lesser autonomy, and insufficient budget to involve local population in decision making processes and governance affairs. County governments without bureaucratic state governments will have strong autonomy and control over resources with holistic citizens’ engagement and participation.
2.5 Enhanced Supervision, Transparency, and Accountability
Empowered and extra mandated County authorities already closer to payams and Boma local authorities will enhance supervision and accountability at local levels in areas of resource management, land dispute, cattle raiding, hygiene, sanitation, environmental protection and customary practices among others. Effective accountability and supervision to local administration in the payams and Bomas shall be realized when county governments are adequately strengthened.
Corruption develops undetected or untamed in complex bureaucratic governments; accountability and transparency are improved when institutions, systems and processes are simplified, reduced and closer to the governed and their subjects.
2.6 Improved public service
Service delivery in healthcare, education, sanitation,environmental conservation, roads and infrastructure shall be improved when county governments are reinforced, bureaucracy reduced, capacity built and their budget is increased while more functions and responsibilities are devolved from national government.
Law and order shall be enforced through motivated and closely supervised local authorities and law enforcement agencies .as a result of devolvedresources, security and administrative management.
2.7 Enriched National Identity and Territorialintegrity
Future national disintegration can be avoided and territorial integrity can be guaranteed when mini-nation states are abolished. Larger regions with huge population are prone to claiming statehood and nationhood as witnessed in Nigeria’s former three regions in which a northern region declaredindependence of a Biafra nation from Nigeria causing a civil war later thwarted but claimed millions of lives and untold suffering.4
Tribalism and regionalism fades when administrative institutions are smaller and less powerful to warrant a national threat. smaller and less powerful groups believe in unity and partnership as a superior alterative for their survival and progress. 5
More importantly tribalism, regionalism and sectarianism diminish when local participation and autonomy, justice and equitable sharing of resources are guaranteed and maximized.6
A country with strong nationality identity, robust internal security and well served citizenry through justice and equality can collectively defend their nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Well-funded and semi-autonomous County governments will serve citizens better and make compatriots happy and eventually lead South Sudan to peace, equality and prosperity.
3.0 Lessons learnt from Kenya and Uganda on local government management.
Kenya is benefiting greatly from its current local government system of governance that had abolished 9 provinces and adopted 47 counties in accordance withits 2010 constitution.
Kenya Provinces and elsewhere were unrealistic entities, and had been responsible for too much bureaucracy, red tape and hoarding of resources.7
The new devolved county governments in Kenya have improved service delivery and accountability due to their proximity with the people and through tighter feedback loops and citizen’s participation in governance .8
Uganda’s new districts have proven advantageous compared to their previous regional structure. The new district administrations which are answerable directly to the national government have brought services closer to the people with increased local participation and enhanced coordination and monitoring among local authorities and the public.9
4.0 Conclusion
South Sudan’s states are bureaucratic entities hoarding resources and keeping counties hostage with limited capacity, autonomy, authority, and resources, to provide local governance and public services at the grassroots.
South Sudan should learn and embrace Kenya’s three tier system of local governments that makes County governments the first layer of local government followed by Payams and Bomas administration. States should be scrapped off to pave way for well-funded, autonomous and effective county governments to enhance holistic efficient local government and service delivery.
Large amount of money to be saved from paying and maintaining state governors, deputy governors, state ministers, state MPs, commission chairpersons and their members shall be channeled to county budgets.
With sufficient funding, less bureaucracy, enhanced autonomy and robust authority for county governments, peace and stability shall be realized across South Sudan.
“when you are in local government, you are in the ground, and you are looking in the eyes and hearts of the people you are there to serve. it teaches you to listen; it teaches you to be expansive in the peoplewith whom you talk to and I think that engagement gives you the political judgment.” Valerie Jarrett
References
1Sean Gabb ;The Civil War and Peace Process in Sudan: A Brief Account, August 07 1997.
2 Sudan Housing and Population Census, 2008.
3 African Development Bank Group; major challenges facing the South Sudan economy; chapter 1
4 https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nigerian-civil-war;
5,6 Ethnic Fears and Global Engagement; January 1996.
7 Prof. Maurice Amutabi, Central Washington University; Removal of provinces promises a new beginning for Kenya, May 15 2010
8 Dr. Fauziya Brek Karama; Economic Growth of County Government in Kenya. Lessons Learned from Best Practices of International Case Studies.
9 UNDP; Decentralization and Local Development in Uganda, NOVEMBER 19, 2015
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