The internal roads in Juba are deplorable

By Pal Chol Nyan

"If Rwandans were not wise, they would not sit together now. We want a South Sudan where all the tribes live together in peace, harmony and accountable for what each and every one does." 

Photo: South Sudan Traveler

Juba town is the seat of the National Government. The host is Jubek state Government. With the decentralized system of governance adopted, we have a municipality administrative unit running the affairs of Juba. Simply put, if there is anything that does not go well in Juba town and its surroundings, it is the Municipality that bears the blame for what may be a dereliction of duty. Now, if you see the internal roads, they are deplorable and impassable. Water tankers charge us at will. Boda-boda front is another hurdle hampering movements because of overcharging due to what they call 'fuel crisis.' Food commodities are unaffordable, the list is long.

The communities, using their own initiatives, set to repair their own roads. It is a good work from the locals. I am afraid those who always want to take credit for a work they have not done, failed or refused to do, will go to the media to lie to the President. The daily collections which could repair roads go to individuals pockets.

The goodness is that the President has ears. Let us not hoodwink ourselves into believing fallaciously that he is unaware. He knows what we do and where we fail to deliver. It is there that when he surprises us with a decree/decrees, most of us collapse or walk out of the town in protests because our mouths are pulled out of the breasts without warning. The President is right that once we fail, we have to be fired and asked to account for the failure.

I don't feel fine when failed officials still maintain their positions in the government and boasting of loyalty.

I'm not seeing anything that is being done by those who were charged by the President to administer Juba at the local level. If we had been honest with ourselves and patriotic, the inner roads would have been asphalted with the local collections. Unfortunately, all goes into their pockets. I believe my mistake here would be that I have said what people don't want me to say or what they don't want to be heard or said publicly. 

But if we don't say this to be rectified, who will beat his or her chest that he or she is helping the President? Helping the President is not insincerely praising him but building roads, schools and improving health care services in the country and more importantly, making Juba look like a city. Remember, there is no war in Juba to prevent it from being developed. It is not always the personality of the Head of State that does all these; he delegates powers provided that funds are availed.

It is the responsibility of the ministers, governors and other administrators to deliver services. The oath the appointees take before the highest office is not to show off but it is a covenant between you and God not to fail the one who appointed you.

The lies that the Nuer are fighting the Dinka should not be a license to deny us the services we badly need. Who wants to continue lecturing on tribalistic chauvinism? If Rwandans were not wise, they would not sit together now. We want a South Sudan where all the tribes live together in peace, harmony and accountable for what each and every one does.

President Salva has never talked of any tribal supremacy. As somebody who won the confidence of the people with the help of the implementation of the CPA in 2010, it is just a stroke of a pen to kick you out and another to bring you in. There is no reason whatsoever to keep people known for glaring failures. Their actions do not live up to our expectations and the case of the local Juba administrative unit is a case in point.

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The author is a concerned citizen, has no political color, independent opinion writer, and stands where the truth is deemed bitter. My email is palcholnyan2016 @gmail.com.

Tributes to the fallen heroes and heroines

By Pal Chol Nyan (Guest Blogger)

Photo: Paanluelwel.com

May the 16th is historic. It will go down in the annals of history that it was the year when Southerners said enough was enough. It is the day Southerners took up arms against the minority clique regime in Khartoum. It was in 1983 when Southerners expressed their anger publicly against economic, political and social oppression and suppression by the Northerners. Our resources were exploited by the Arab North to develop it.

Our resources were looted in a broad daylight with the connivance of some sell-outs. On this occasion and at this juncture, I would like to pay  special tributes to Colonel Dr. John Garang de Mabior, Major William Nyuon Bany,Major Kerubino Kuanyin, Capt Salva Kiir Mayardit, now General Salva Kiir, the President of the Republic and Capt David Riek Machuoc Mum for,without their bravery, valour and resilience,it wouldn't have been possible for us to reach where we are today. As you are all aware, some disgruntled Southern politicians, decided to conspire against us in collusion with the Arabs through financial briberies and reward for non-lucrative positions to deny our rights in all domains. 

You could recall that the 1983 Movement started with few gallant officers but later joined en masse by students, peasants and many others. It became a formidable force to be reckoned with.

My special tributes also go to the fallen officers, NCOs and men from 1955 to 1983. I could not believe that the spirit of brotherhood and comradeship we have had could just wither because of power struggle and wealth. When Southerners differed in 1983, they reconciled in 1987, when it happened in 1991, it was resolved with 2002 Nairobi Declaration.

Inter-communal conflicts were ironed out in People-to-People Peace in Wunlit in 1999 between the Nuer and the Dinka.  Why don't we sit now and hammer out the outstanding and sticking issues dividing us using those initiatives as the blueprints? 

Fighting ourselves is condemning our fallen heroes and heroines to eternal death, betraying their sacrifices and more importantly proving the enemies right that we can't govern ourselves. Finally, it must also be made clear that the first bullet was shot in Torit in 1955, the second bullet was shot in 1975 in Akobo. There were people already on the ground who started the war before 1983 at Bilpam and Pakedi.

 The war of liberation did not start in 1983 but it was a continuation.  I don't deny that the credit goes to the SPLM/A now under the leadership of General Salva Kiir  Mayardit as they achieved the final goal of an Independent sovereign South Sudan.

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The author is a medical practitioner and can be reached at palcholnyan2016@gmail.com