Five more years for Mr. Kiir? No!

By Isaiah Abraham

January 1, 2009 — It has been said aloud by close personalities, called them sycophants, that Gen. Kiir must go for five more years as President of Southern Sudan, from the upcoming election in April next year. That means Gen. Kiir must be supported in the Southern Presidency seat, since he has shown no interest (at least from the public) to contest against the National Congress Party (NCP) Chairman, Field Marshal President Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir for the Sudan Presidency. No one knows who will contest for that seat from the SPLM, though the pointer goes to Imam Al Mahdi from the Umma Party, per Juba All Parties Conference this year. This later move has attracted more queries that answer, as to what that means constitutionally for the party and that of the Sudan. People aren’t talking much about it, because to supporters of Mr. Kiir, their law doesn’t give any condition for him to do so. To them, there is not issue so long as their man remains in the Southern Presidency, because there is no ‘proper’ man to occupy the State House here and do the ‘good job’ of governance except those destined to do it for others.

We have individuals (beneficiaries in fact) who are busy selling Mr. Kiir reelection bid. They are there to kill unless the situation remains the way it is. Some of them are right here reading and have already froth and frown against anyone who question the status quo under Mr. Kiir. Gen. Kiir wasted no time either, he has since taken advantage of the stand off between peace partners (the SPLM vs. NCP) to project his presidency notice, that he’s the best to bring down the Sudanese flag whether at 2011 or before it. The Juba demonstration on Monday has highlighted things stark when the events- a public anger about dilly-dally by hardliners with the NCP- was hijacked by campaign messages. Shenanigans (supporters) thereafter stepped up by claiming that Mr. Kiir being a founder of the liberation struggle and had ‘stayed put’ in at thin moments during the liberation should be left alone to go for more years next year. To them, the President has done more than enough to bring almost everyone on board and therefore proper to complete the mission indefinitely. One crude campaigner charged that so long as his tribe and the army 100% behind him, Mr. Kiir will prevail. My take, hmmmm!

Dear brethren, no one would deny some achievements under Gen. Salva Kiir, he has done his best to bring together a group led by Gen. Paulino Matip, Abdul Baggi Ayii, Chief Ismail Konyi, Alfred Ladu Gore just to mentioned but a few. He has further established the system now known as GOSS from the Naivasha crash and had done his best to stay on course as to cardinal details in the CPA. He has taken care of our young nation and is credited for having provided safe return for millions of Southerners across the world, back home. He has managed to incorporate as many people across our society as possible. Our men in uniform are being attended to, a big pat to His Excellency the President. We have a functioning system, something not thought to happen at once, and above all, with challenges here and there, we are almost to the finishing line. His earlier appointments to top posts have been somewhere fair, allowing many representatives as possible. The list could be long. No one could deny him everything there. We give him utmost commendation for taking us thus far, and pray for his good health as the South dissects his past.

My list however about his otherwise under-achievements is much longer than what we all know. Frankly speaking, these are elementariness; a system such as ours would surely achieve them. If you look carefully at each item, there is nothing innovative thing from anywhere. Besides, the South doesn’t need those, no room for substandard at its critical stage of take off. Serious mistakes were committed moreover by his regime, before his watch. I will mention a few below. At this election time, stocking of what the man has done and what not must get the scrutiny it deserves. Originality therefore is an issue. No one is against him or his tribe, but the style is the problem. Mr. Kiir isn’t himself and won’t be himself. Others wheel him for their personal or individual benefit, other than that of the people of Southern Sudan. Whatever we called achievements aforesaid after all, are the making of his advisors and the next man in the hierarchy. They do the job and the big man takes the credit.

Do we really need such a leader who will rely on others on sensitive matters of foundation lay? I don’t think so! I don’t care whether his middle name is the SPLM/A, what matter and which is bigger than him is the future of this beautiful land called Southern Sudan, the very land that has snuffed away millions lives. A person with big heart and a visionary will fit here; a leader who is exposed to what goes on around him and the world. The South needs a person who will feel the pain of others, down to earth on what the ordinary Southerner says on the street. The outdated fashion of being clueless and intimidative has no place at the modern era of transparency, participatory and openness style of leadership. Southerners are keen to know how come that 80% of the 50% quota (oil money) goes straight to the back pockets of few individuals and the government staff. A serious leader could fix this immediately. Foreigners are smiling all the way to their banks because our finance analysts see nothing wrong with pores financial system in place, where private activities manned by foreigners strived.

Now that the SPLM Primaries are nearly over, with 1000 candidates for the party, with screening on the 5th January 2010, isn’t this not the right time for the party to go further and do its primary about the Presidency for the South? May be this is time to stop Mr. Kiir from taking us another five more years of bad governance under his poor, inept and dictatorial leadership; a system that has impoverished our people far worst by creating classes of those who have enough to educate their children at Harvard, Pretoria and Oxford Universities, and those with their children attending classes under trees, with underpaid and untrained teachers. I thought our President could bow out and pave the way for a matured, qualified and competent leader far better than him, to try it. A rumor nevertheless has matured that Mr. Kiir wants to replace him by Gen. James Wani for the post of the Vice Presidency by next year. Something that must be resisted and if it means splitting the party, so be it! Mr. Wani could be educated but have no followers from among his own Bari Community; his seat currently is under stern challenge by Bari insiders (do you get this?). But why would that happen under the sun, oh heaven? Oh God give us Dr. Machar now! Thwart the scheme of trouble makers (born to rule group).

Here are some of areas why Mr. Kiir must go- not to be given another five years as President of Southern Sudan. His government has no Program of Action- literally no political direction. What we have is sheer program that is overstated with no clear cut practical applications. The SPLM Political Framework of the 1994 in Chukudum and that after Naivasha is nipped in the bud by political incapacitating system run under emergency and imaginary undertakings. Do you recall the 200 day program in 2007? Do you know why it didn’t work? To his regime, the CPA and Program of action is one and the same thing. The CPA document as it stands isn’t a political framework; neither is it dogmatic, but an ephemeral document that defines boundaries of the external political framework while the internal governance remains solely anything for political leadership to define.

Second, we have a government with over $4 billion taken away by key individuals and no single case has ever been finalized. What does this tell you about Kiir as the head of that government? If his regime could run away with that money within that short period, what will stop him and his team from running dry our coffers in the next five years? When the House pushes the Executive for action, the public get loud lip service that only ends there, ostensibly often engineer to lull the public. Why is it that the Anti-Corruption Commission still toothless to date? This is because our leaders are good at shouting and imitating universal slogans, but lack contextual touch of the same- no political will anywhere at the top. Mulana Michael Makuei and Dr. Pauline Riak are officials with tough jobs indeed; they take the blame for reasons beyond their reach. The embezzlers come out fighting back (they are highly placed/connected) and the duo surely won’t be their positions in the next government, if what has been said is true.

Third, one of Kiir governors has entered a contract with foreign dubious company along the River Nile, the same governor who made another contract of the same nature with an Arab company. Imagine it is that Cardinal Company where the then Finance Minister, Mr. Arthur Akuein was hooked that has approached the government of that state and reached an agreement for fishing activities. Has any research been done before hand, why entered contract when the Nile runs through five states? Is the South ready for such agreement under Mr. Kiir and if yes, how could that be done with no knowledge of the House in Juba. I learn the governor is in the field drumming up his reelection for five more years and pray he is beaten along with his blind boss. His state is a den full of death prone thugs where human live is nothing compares to cows the majority of people own. Roads are at appalling states around the town, while is busy doing different things all together.

Forth, the poor leadership has led the system to be infiltrated by Northern Opposition Parties that are opposed to the CPA. This is dangerous for the survival of our people leave alone the political survival of that party. Why would a right minded person abandon its partnership to associate with political turn coats whose past is tainted with every trouble that befell Sudan? Alliance to topple the NCP at the zero hour is the work of foreign conspirators to destabilize Sudan, and the South in particular. During Referendum Bill row, the skin for Northern Opposition was explicitly clear to everyone. His Excellency speech on Monday in Juba as usual was devoid of substance; tired and boring that only well for the army. It never referenced anything including the alliance between the SPLM and Northerners. Six, is the Gen. Kiir absence from Khartoum and his subsequent rejection of his constitutional and party duties to contest election as chair of the party. Seven so to conclude is the bizarre latest appointments, a move that see his closest people taking over key army and police positions. The intention is…

It was reported that Mr. Kiir could go until the Referendum time (2011) and then retires; that compromise though understandable is overtaken by what appear to have Mr. Kiir firmly in the State House forever. Events tell us something closer to this plan. But where does it mean to our people about him going beyond that period? His supporters must be mindful about the feeling of others. No one hates the personality of Mr. Kiir; he needs to retire peacefully and allow us a chance. The task ahead of Dr. Machar is huge, fortunately he is prepare for it as God ‘ll help him eradicate vices that plagued Gen. Kiir for the past five years. His time is ripe for the challenge. Juba for instance, a face of our nation will quickly pick up once Guandit takes over- say one year afterward. Corruption and tribalism would be history because our next president isn’t corrupt or tribalized. He is reachable and shall be closer to the people. Southern Sudan will shine by fine touch of our beloved leader, Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhorgun. President Kiir, please sir, go home! Your place will be there (respected) as one of the founders. God bless you this year!

Isaiah Abraham based in Juba; he can be reached at [email protected]