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| South Sudanese president |
Given the fact that nothing has
changed for the last ten years in terms of development, social cohesion and
service provision, I think it’s time for President Kiir to call it quit. This
is undoubtedly the best course of action to take. While I understand that the
president hopes to leave behind a good, lasting legacy, it sure seems that such
a legacy will not be forthcoming. There’s absolutely no indication that
President Kiir will change the country for better. This results from the incongruence
between the president’s words and his actions. The president has, in some
occasions, uttered nationally
helpful words but does the wrong thing.
However, we need to remember that
President Kiir has one enduring achievement that will remain in historical
books forever. This is the 2011 referendum and succession of South Sudan. While Dr. John
was the architect of the process leading to succession of South Sudan through
his negotiation of the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement (CPA), it’s President Kiir who actually made sure that it
materialized. National Congress Party (NCP) of President Beshir of Sudan--formerly National Islamic Front (NIF)--were vent on killing the referendum.
Another possible good legacy of
President Kiir would be his peaceful transfer of power. This would ensure that
he goes down in history as one of the few African leaders who’ve peacefully handed over
power to a successor. No doubt, this is only possible if President Kiir perceives
leadership as geared towards the interest of the people of South Sudan not
leadership for its own sake. Essentially, African leaders talk of leadership 'in
the service of the people' but most African leaderships are set up against the
interest of the people.
These two realities would go down
in history as President Kiir’s greatest achievements. But isn’t this mere
utopianism? Isn’t this wishful thinking? Most likely! And not everyone would
like this message.
However, I should remind readers
that President Kiir has always been projected as a humble man and leader. His
humility, sadly, has been appropriated for very destructive purposes. But isn’t
it time for the president to show an iota of care? This is only possible if he ever
cared at all! But handing over power to someone he chooses wouldn’t be so
scary to the president and this trusted inner circle. It’s possible for the president
to call his party, SPLM, to meet and name a successor. This is very imperative!
But some people would that if a
leader the president chooses becomes president, then the status quo would
remain. True! And I agree with that sentiment. However, a change in leadership
would change the national psychology. Even if it might not lead, necessarily,
to fundamental change and peace, it would still send a signal that the
leadership was handed over peacefully and that such a peaceful political and
democratic culture would continue.
Violent removal of leaders creates
unbecoming and dangerous precedents. A leader who ascends to power by force is
most likely to leave power by force. A culture of military conflicts isn’t good
for the national health. Besides, a sudden change in leadership without any
clear successor creates a political vacuum and power struggle. This is why it’s
crucial for the president to choose his own successor before the elections.
I’m therefore calling on the
president to consider leaving power after having secured a successor he’s
comfortable with. While this might not amount to change in terms of systemic
problems facing the country, it would be CHANGE nonetheless.
President Kiir is not only a
veteran of the SPLA liberation war, he’ll go down in history as the one who
withstood NCP bullying in order to ensure the success of the referendum and the
succession of South Sudan. A peaceful transfer of power, as I said earlier,
would be another milestone achievement.
The President is also getting old and in ill-health. It’s time for him to go and rest. Let someone else lead with different lenses.
This might not be fundamentally different lenses but that'll be different lenses nonetheless.
