Oh no! Not Another 100 Days Promise! "...business between the governed and the leadership will not be same again. People will hold the government accountable on everything including careless words thrown in the air." 09 August 2011
By Isaiah Abraham Gurtong edited/posted -The leader of our new Republic (South Sudan) Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit has publicly promised the people of South Sudan that his government has set indicators within 100 days, from the date of the formation of the Republican new government. The President had in mind specific activities he believed could make a positive difference in the lives of his people. Education, health, rule of law and infrastructure lead his list of challenges. He couldn’t be more right! The speech (given during the opening of the two Houses) context, content and intent were all right and timely. The head of state wasted no time to remind the legislature about its roles and functions in the government. The two speakers of the two Houses (National and States) on their turn flexed their muscles by daring the executive to stick to the book (the rule of the law) or else. The eyes and ears of South Sudanese were on the Nyakuron Cultural Centre in Juba. But the speech of the president, though given in good faith, has raised more questions than answers as to the implementations. We were there during his 100 days in 2007 and we all knew how easy it was to proclaim matters than the actual results or outcomes. Of course 2007 isn’t the same as this year when the political temperatures are in our favour - total freedom; but in 2007, we were also masters of our own projects and plans. In short before we proceed, I must assert here that the president lofty promises about 2 airstrips in Bentiu and Kuacjok, 30 or so High Schools, another bridge in Juba, sixty thousand immunized children and laws among other promises were bad dreams, unachievable and unrealistic. This is why: how much money do we have to make a bridge linking East and West of Juba? How about school classes, how much money do we need to add up to the current Ministry of General Education to construct such number of schools within 100 days. At the moment the ministry has a projected budget of 320 million and it might increase a little; that money alone could go to schools, but how about other operating services or salary for the same ministry? The same is true with other ministries such as health, roads, parliamentary affairs etc. Resources issue therefore is key, and hence unnecessary to exude false impression for something that will not be delivered on its intended time. Given, our people were tolerance during the Interim Period because the then political environment our leaders operated in was precarious when the target was still at large. We knew then that our freedom was critical; others come second. People never questioned everything including false promises. But, in this era after God has helped us cross over the River safely, business between the governed and the leadership will not be same again. People will hold the government accountable on everything including careless words thrown in the air. In all, and to the credit of our leaders, they think the same way everyone in the street thinks; this in itself is an encouraging practice and the big man and his group should keep it up! There are indeed real issues to be undertaken and the leadership must take things very seriously as they come. I salute the Southern Public in this juncture for standing firm and time is here for them to make their leaders pay prices for anything awkward. People need to take the fight against poverty, ignorance, backwardness and crime, yes, and someone should give directives. These are tough challenges that will take time not only 100 days. Our people fought the war to make life better for themselves and generations after them. This is an opportunity that must not be lost by sheer buying of time. Now that we have our government run by sons and daughters of this beautiful land called South Sudan, isn’t this a privilege to demonstrate to the foreigner who had occupied our land until July 9, 2011 that we mean business for our people? I strongly believe that within the past six years, we had learned bitter or useful lessons in our journey to freedom. We must not repeat similar mistakes, unless we are pretending in governance. Yes, together with our leaders, we have a duty to fulfil, for this is not their duty exclusively. If the government wants to believe in fulfilling these promises, it has to reform its functions. A Kenyan Presidential candidate in 2002 during elections campaign made a promise about the new constitution within 100 days; after 100 days no constitution was anywhere or finalized. He was understood as he was on a campaign trail not a sitting head of state. No wonder the people of Kenya waited for few more years not 100 days for the new law to be promulgated. Politicians aren’t specialists, nitty-gritty of things aren’t their job; they generalized matters and leave a room for ‘escape-goating’. Indeed it is true that each activity must be measured, and that is what advisors have exactly put in the mouth of the president; but the trouble with that practice is that the players (policy makers and implementers) aren’t the same. Corruption fight In 2008 I overheard our leader making a strong statement about corruption. Today we are hearing the same message over again from the same person. Our people will wait and see before we give him any benefit of the doubt. But personally our president isn’t corrupt, prissy, a real man but surrounded by sharks. In this particular instance in Nyakuron though, I don’t buy 100 days project even by a pound! Dr. Pauline will still be there by next year as do other five more sitting officers in that Commission, a team that eat up fat budget at the end of each month. Dr. Pauline place is in education ministry; she has played it safe and time for stone pusher to come over is now. The President has got to start from the top - ministers. The point I am trying to make in so many words above to our leader and his team is this: since his mouth has solemnly made a promise, the big man ought to keep it. We want to see schools, clinics, the bridge and airstrips by November 8, 2011! If the situation never changes by that time - in reality it won’t - no one will waste time taking the big man or his government seriously again. No amount of any excuse or blame game will erase a promise delivered twice. We are God’s children, equal before God and the law; we deserve God fearing leadership that walks their talk. Mr President could have been let down by others, but now he is in charge, mandated by the people and history. What will not make him kick out underlings such as Nyaloks, Dings, Yaks, Kwajes, Aloors, Makechs etc? Time for lip service was yesterday; a whip ought to be crack now. I feel that it is not about promises at this juncture but about institutions that check and balance things. If the said watch dogs such as Anti-Corruption Commission, the Auditors Chamber, the Justice Ministry and Legislature plus the leadership join efforts to fight corruption, we would not be singing it loudly everybody. The vice could have been minimized if not eradicated. But in our current situation we still need to do a little more arithmetic to fight corruption. In almost all speeches of Mr. Kiir, we are hearing him bemoaning the level of corruption in his government. He has noticed the weakness like any of us. It’s time to look up to him to deliver in this area of accountability. It is also time for him to ensure services are reaching ordinary Southerners at Boma level. The law takes it course irrespective of people involved. These are big dreams but within 100 days, we might not achieve anything, except policy formulation for the same. God bless the people of Southern Sudan! Isaiah Abraham lives in Juba Posted in: Opinions -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
