Reuben Garang*
"The newly formed leaderships created at urban centres still have no clear powers, and the same politicians are in charge. It is best for gracing public events in Juba. The diaspora’s leadership does not have the capacity as well. It also suffers from the culture of quick cycles of elections that see people coming in and leaving without achieving much. No one knows if their organizations in the diaspora are community associations, political theatres, or arenas to cultivate hate. It is worth mentioning though that the people react to situations and always want to help. However, these organizations have no long terms goals as their structures change with the election cycle."
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| Reuben Garang. Photo: Author's Facebook Account. |
In many of his public speeches, Twic East’s
paramount chief, Manyok Ajak Majok, repeatedly pleaded for help. He appealed to
Twic politicians and Diaspora leaders to help decide the direction and or the
future of the County. He needs help. In
the past, it was people in position of head chief, sub-clan leaders and elders
who used to make critical decisions.
This is not the case now.
Why?
Well, apparently, the chieftaincy powers in South Sudan are rapidly declining
or blunted. Modern governance structures
overshadow customary systems, including the chieftainship though the former is
not working to the expectation. In addition, the principal chief Majokdit and
his fellow chiefs are among the displaced persons making them ineffective to
govern. They are powerless and cannot decide on critical matters affecting
their scattered community as they used to do. They have nowhere to begin, let
alone to decide.
The
Members of Parliament (MPs) representing the area are suffering from the same
diseases affecting all the country's politicians. Public institutions under which
they operate are seemingly dysfunctional.
The
newly formed leaderships created at urban centres still have no clear powers, and
the same politicians are in charge. It is best for gracing public events in
Juba. The diaspora’s leadership does not have the capacity as well. It also
suffers from the culture of quick cycles of elections that see people coming in
and leaving without achieving much. No
one knows if their organizations in the diaspora are community associations, political
theatres, or arenas to cultivate hate.
It is worth mentioning though that the people react to situations and
always want to help. However, these organizations have no long terms goals as
their structures change with the election cycle.
The
commissionership is a leftover of the colonial structures that no one knows why
in the first place the SPLM has adapted it. I have no idea if it was the
Turkish or British people who introduced this one-person institution. It never
had been adequately integrated into local government structures at any point in
the history of the region. Although a decent citizen now occupies it, the
position was not designed to provide an inclusive grass root leadership. Therefore,
our county at the height of all the calamities experiences a leadership void.
What is then possible to change this leadership deficiency at the county level? For the short term, it is the commissioner to lead using the bottom-up approach and remains not as relic of the colonial system. To impact change, a decision taken at the Payam and/or Boma levels have to influence decisions taken at the State level and federal levels. Villagers' inputs should count. So there must be better ways of seeking inputs from the clan systems than what exists now. The current system of acë lueel rɔɔk (the decree or orders come from the town /court centre) has to stop. Luel rɔɔk by who? Who is that from the town centre that decides on behalf of the masses?
It is possible the commissioner, with local
leaders, can decide the future of the county and just seek assistance from the state
and federal levels. A local-grown or
informed solution will only work. Therefore, to make a drastic change, the
current commissionership occupant has to dare to create this new thinking to
change the community mindset. A time to
make a bold decision about the future of the county is overdue. We cannot wait
the water to recede without a community-blessed plan for the future.
If
the county waits for politicians and Diaspora leaders to decide for her future,
it will be waiting for mom ke yeth, as one of the Twic idioms goes. Politicians in Bortwon and Juba as well
as diaspora can help, but with implementation of
a locally driven and led plan.
There
are many good ideas floated on social media from community members on what to
do to steer the county in the right direction at this critical time. The
community has discussed the idea of building one town in the area to
consolidate services.
In
2019 or 2020, diaspora leaders, Lual Bul Manyok, Deng Chol Riak, Deng Atemtiordit,
and a few members from the community, put together a short plan titled Fostering
and Upgrading Twic East Urban Roads and Economic ( FUTURE). This document
was later sent to Twic Leadership back home. The gist of the letter is:
“We
need to build a single mini-city (made up of five large estates), which will
attract people, including non-Dinka. Our development agenda would be to use the
Twic East County diaspora human resources to help to channel their resources
into developing this city.
It
is easier to defend a town and harder for raiders to attack a city of assembled
villages. Agricultural activities can go on outside of the town (in Lok/ Aying
areas as a part of increasing human activities in that area to deal with the
double issue of addressing insecurity and food security). The development of
this city may begin to boost economic activities, which contribute to an
increased sense of security, and which attract people.
In
this city, we will concentrate on running five good secondary schools, five
good hospitals, five good housing projects, five good clean water projects,
etc. If we formalize such a proposal and direct the energies of the diaspora
toward achieving this goal, our people may begin to leave Kenya within a few
years and return home. All the money we spend in Kenya will be rechannelled
into Twic East County's economy in a few years.”
This
proposal was made before the displacement due to the flooding. No one picks it back home.
There
are many great ideas floating around that, if there is leadership, could be
tried to shape the future of the County. Kuek Aleu Garang Dekuek, Duot Manyang
Duot-Akech, Chol Kelei Chengkuo, and Deng Bul Garang, among others, have
produced great ideas about the need to consolidate resources to shape the
future of the County. For Mr. Kuek,
Twic has to come up with a 50-year-plus strategic plan that should include building
one city for Twic to improve service and preserve fraternity. He has been
advocating for this for nearly a decade.
For Mr. Duot, it is his call every day. Those
who are friends with him on Facebook know what I am talking about. Mr. Duot wants people to think big and work
together for a brighter future for the county. For Mr. Chol, Twic will be no more in the near future
if its citizens fail to work collectively at present to make a home attractive
for the displaced population. With his economic ideas, among them, farming the
land at small and large scales is the way to begin. Mr. Deng continues to post
the question of “what would become a scattered Twic East” if nothing is decided
now? Many community members including former Twic USA leader Bul Thuch Dut
contributed ideas to answer these questions.
Things are possible if the leadership at the
county level and people work together for their collective good. We have seen those of Maketh Kuer Khoor, Chol
Kuch Chol, and Deng Akuur Mabior, among others, with their developmental
housing project in Kenya. They have successfully turned a vacant land into
modern dwellings. They have a very small
group of people but with great ideas and pragmatic leadership. We are not lacking ideas; we can also borrow
from the experience of the world. We have scientists and researchers who need
leadership and functioning systems to benefit from their expertise. A governor Riny Tueny Mabor or Maketh Kuer
type of leadership at the County level to change things.
Twic
East needs a compassionate, community-centered, and risk-taking leader, to mobilize
ideas and resources and implement them.
As we speak, there is a lack of that brave and entrepreneurial leader to
steer the ship. More worrying there is that no coordinated and accountable
system to incubate and funnel community ideas resources.
No one is accepting the challenges and taking
charge. An innovative and pragmatic
leader is needed. A self-motivated leader who wants to change things for the
good of the people. Twic East County needs someone who believes in themselves
and the power of organized people. Someone to lead from the bottom up, not from
top of the leadership ladder. Someone who is respectful but not an appeaser of
elites. Someone with courage to keep peace with neighbouring counties.
It
may sound easy, but it is not. It is very
difficult to lead without resources and functioning system. Therefore, we have to appreciate those in the
position of power as they try their best to help their people. Nevertheless,
someone must rise above all these challenges and lead with resolutions. Work
with the people at the grassroots to devise a vision and mobilize resources and
ideas. It should start with the establishment of a town like centre outside
flood prone zone.
Who is or who will be that leader?
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*Reuben Garang is the Executive Director - Immigration Partnership Winnipeg. He has previously worked for the province of Manitoba as policy analyst and community Outreach Advisor. Garang holds a master degree in sustainable development practice from the University of Winnipeg. You can reach him at reubengarang70@gmail.com
