Beyond Politics: Could South Sudan Thrive with a Technocratic Government?
South Sudan Flag
By Tito Tong John, Nairobi, Kenya
Saturday, 14 June 2025 (PW) – It all started back at Saint Josephine Bakhita Minor Seminary of Catholic diocese of Rumbek, under the lulu trees of St Comboni’s Secondary School in Mapuordit, Yirol West County, Lakes State. I was enrolled in the Arts classes, studying subjects like history and government. But even then, there was something else quietly tugging at me, something I couldn’t quite name at the time. It was technology.
While my classmates were deep into analysing and debating political ideologies, my mind often wandered. I kept thinking about how things could be done differently and more efficiently. I wondered how technology could be woven into learning or how it could help make everyday life in our society more practical. That way of thinking was always present in me, even before I truly understood it. Then one day, in history and government class, something clicked.
We were studying political systems such as democracy, monarchy, and socialism, and I came across a word I had never heard before: technocracy. At first, it was just the word itself that caught my attention. “Techno”, meaning technology, and “cracy”, meaning rule. Could this be a system where technology and governance actually met? That one discovery sent me down a path I hadn’t expected. I remember rushing back to the seminary, pulling out my small dictionary, and diving into research. What I found opened up an entirely new world for me.
I learned that technocracy wasn’t just a fancy term. It was a serious idea that had gained traction during the Great Depression of the 1930s, a time when the SPLA liberation struggle started, millions were joining the movement, and traditional political systems were struggling. In the midst of that crisis, an engineer named Howard Scott who formed Technocracy in North America. His radical proposal was that society should be run not by politicians but by scientists, engineers, and other technical experts.
Imagine a nation where decisions are not based on popularity, campaign promises, or political connections but on data, knowledge, and practical efficiency. That was the vision. In this system, energy not money would be the currency. Resources would be allocated based on actual needs, not driven by politics. It was a bold and ambitious idea. Although technocracy never fully materialized as a system of government, its principles have quietly influenced many places around the world. Over the years, I noticed the word “technocrat” starting to appear in the news.
For instance, during economic crises in countries like Italy and Greece, experts were brought in to lead governments. In the United States, Andrew Yang’s campaign highlighted Universal Basic Income as a response to job loss from automation. In places like Estonia, digital governance has become the norm. You can file taxes, vote, and even access public records online with ease.
As I kept learning more, a question began to form in my mind: what would a technocracy look like in South Sudan? Let’s imagine for a moment. What if South Sudan as a country embraced a technocratic model that respected our culture and responded to our unique realities? Picture a country where every citizen can access public services with just a few clicks. There would be no more endless waiting in lines for a simple document. Countries like Rwanda and Kenya have already started moving in this direction. So why can’t South Sudan?
We know that corruption thrives in systems that are difficult to navigate and easy to manipulate. But if we had automated processes where every transaction left a digital record, accountability would become unavoidable. Technology could help track government spending, monitor contracts, and reduce leakages in spending. With the right tools, our farmers could access weather updates, current market prices, and even detect crop diseases using mobile apps. Solutions like those in Cameroon are already proving that this is possible. A smart agricultural system could transform food security, boost livelihoods, and give dignity back to farming.
Policy-making, too, would be different. Instead of relying on political instinct, leaders could use real-time data on healthcare, education, and youth migration to make informed decisions. It would not be about making promises to the youth but about identifying where the gaps are and investing where the demand is. It would be about solving problems with real-world statistics. South Sudan has the youngest population in the world. But instead of viewing that as a handicap, what if we saw it as an asset? A technocratic South Sudan would prioritize education, nurture digital skills, and unleash a generation of problem-solvers and innovators.
This kind of government would not be working in isolation. It would actively collaborate with startups, local tech companies, and the diaspora. Their knowledge, creativity, and investments would help drive national progress. Projects would no longer get stuck because of numerous bureaucratic and political delays. They would move forward based on their potential to solve problems.
To be clear, technocracy is not just about machines and codes. It is about designing systems that serve people. It is about building something that works, something that is rooted in our context and led by people who understand our challenges and are equipped to address them. A technocratic approach in South Sudan could reduce reliance on external aid and promote homegrown innovation and sustainability.
I think about these possibilities often. What if South Sudan led the way? What if we became an example of how to combine tradition with digital transformation? We do not need to overhaul everything overnight. We could start small by digitizing key services, building trust in data systems, training public servants in tech literacy, and making schools future-ready in technology. Most importantly, we need to believe in it. We need to believe in ourselves. This dream began with a curious question. It began the day I sat in a classroom, heard a new word, and asked a question. That question turned into research, and the research sparked a vision. A vision of South Sudan, and perhaps a country, that does not just keep up with the world but helps shape it.
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