Poor leadership has hit Lakes state

By Manyang Mayom

March 1, 2009 — The role of leadership in every society is most important across the world and indeed the state that I belong too is poor in proving the leadership to her citizens. My world readers may be asking about the theme of this article — yes, Lakes state leadership since her establishment has been facing many critical issues that ended up without solution. The leadership of Lakes state has been hit by inter-clan and inter-tribal conflict that led the state government to mismanage her own citizens.

The Lakes state former governor, John Lat Zechariah was removed in 2006 charged with falling to control inter-clan and inter-tribal conflict as Lieutenant General Daniel Awet Akot took over the leadership on September 5, 2006 and the same history of inter-clan and inter-tribal conflict repeated it herself. Thousands of live have been lost in Lakes state through weak justice system and governance.

Thousands of citizens in Lakes state are out calling for leadership to facilitate things for them when everything has gone wrong, but the leaders who always lead Rumbek are not qualified to lead instead they are using assumption and more exaggeration toward themselves. “We need leaders” — we hear that cry everywhere — “give us leaders!”

But before we can provide leaders, we have questions we must answer: What is leadership? Where are the leaders? How do we identify them? If we lack natural leaders, can we develop leadership qualities in others?

First, it is important to describe the characteristics of good and poor leaders, who should have a right to be aware of their bad impact upon their citizens. Have you noticed that when people speak of the best or worst leaders with whom they have worked, they don’t generally list extraordinary strengths or weaknesses but instead they mentioned certain behaviour patterns, for instance: the best leaders are aware of their impact on others, open to feedback and suggestions and work hard to check their negative tendencies.

How can wrong leaders be changed? From inadequate to successful leadership, we also need to ask another question. What kind of person should the ideal leader be? Yes the answer should be (1) someone who has the initiative to start things and keep them alive. (2) A person considerate of others. (3) One who welcomes the ideas of others and acts with understanding toward even wild suggestions. (4) One who bring out the best in people. (5) He/she is an easy person to work with, accurate, thorough and reliable (6) He/she is a person who looks at a situation, takes hold of it and searches for solutions. (7) Someone who admits when he/she is wrong and takes steps to correct mistakes. (8) One who is tactful, yet forceful and firm, never quits or complains. (9) One who emphasize that each person has a contribution to make to the common effort. (10) One who encourages the fainthearted while gently restraining the overly-enthusiastic. (11) A person who can reconcile clashing viewpoints, rather than take a stand as a partisan or special-pleader. (12) Someone who inspires follow through in those with whom he/she works.

Meanwhile, the government of Lakes state has failed to fulfill those tasks of leaderships since her establishment came in 2005 as a part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)’s impact for Southern Sudan’s semi-autonomous government to channel the system toward democratic government aiming for a New Sudan that promised to be with fully equal rights, justice and freedom. Good leadership must comply with those: the essential qualities and skills involved in leadership can be learned and developed through education and experience that helps one develope skills for communicating clearly, making effective decisions, inspiring others, maintaining and showing respect for and trust in subordinates, making just judgments, instructing clearly and to be patient with mistakes, being loyal to followers and tough in their behalf, being humble and open to new ideas and different opinions, keeping keep a sense of humour and knowing how to relax.

However, the government of Southern Sudan aims to change from military rule into democratic government. Therefore, thousands of Sudanese both in Northern Sudan and South Sudan have become writers on issues concerning Sudanese complex problems both socially and politically. The group of writers can be divided into three groups that include: 1956, 1972 and 2005 writers. Nevertheless, Rumbek (Lakes state) had no one among writers in Sudan since 1956 to 1972 and only got writers in 2005. These writers all criticized the government due to her bad governance ongoing in the Lakes state. The internet has allowed the 2005 group of writers in Lakes state to be recognized, affecting the leadership of Lakes though the government failed nonetheless without any good performance.

Reference to the above mentioned, the Lakes state government itself began to harass state citizens who become victims facing random detention and beating anywhere from military police. Everyone in Lakes holds rights by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to exercise freedom of expression but state authority would rather tie one’s hands until one must hold on silent.

Furthermore, the government of Lakes state has taken the wrong direction because of power struggling among themselves as Governor Daniel Awet is being misled by colleagues in the cabinet to takes wrong action at the wrong time that cannot thereafter be adjusted quietly by the cabinet again. As well, the Lakes state public immediately loudly cries out against Lakes state leadership and calls for change. Disobediently, the cabinet presents series of problems that hammer the lawmakers in Lakes state parliament.

The author is a Sudan Tribune Journalist he can be reached at [email protected]