An Open Letter to Pres. Kiir Mayardit: You’re the worst president ever Jan. 03 Featured, Uncategorized 12 comments
BY: Kuir ë Garang, CANADA, JAN/03/2015, SSN; Leaders the world over think about two paramount things: the PRIMACY of the citizens’ needs and the LEGACY they leave behind long after they have gone. It seems, Mr. President, you think less about the two mentioned above and more about staying in power.There is one thing you have to remember as you stay on: Time will come when you’ll be gone either by political necessity or by biological and physiological necessity. Power ends, but your legacy will not end regardless of what it is. You might go down in history as the first and the worst president South Sudan will ever have; or you can change course and be the best leader South Sudanese will remember for generations to come. The onus is on you! Here are some things to consider as we begin the New Year.You are the President: The only person who has the ultimate say in what happens in South Sudan is you. Sometimes your speeches and interviews don’t reflect that. When asked once by a journalist when peace would be realized in South Sudan, you asked the journalist to ‘go and ask Riek Machar.’ That was both ‘unpresidential’ and irresponsible.You were mandated with confidence by South Sudanese in order to do things for them and in order to show optimistic way forward. Riek Machar is a man who’s shown time and again that he wants to lead South Sudan. That we understand very well. However, he’s not the president of South Sudan.You claim legitimacy but you fall short of portraying that. It’s time you remembered that you are the president of South Sudan so act like it.Professing being the president is not what presidency is about; you have to act in the interest of the people. Stop talking and acting as if there’s someone else; someone who’s actually the decision maker in South Sudan!As the president, you need to account for the atrocities committed by people under your command. Riek Machar will account for his own atrocities. As president of South Sudan, who still has Nuer leaders in your government, what would you tell millions of Nuer, who lost their loved ones in December of 2013?You are the president so answer them like a president! The Peace Talks Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was made possible because there was a will to bring peace and the understanding that Sudanese had had enough of war. Taha and Garang, in the interest of Sudanese people, took charge of the talks, showed courageous leadership and made very painful concessions. You are very much aware that Seyoum Mesfin and IGAD have failed miserably. Unless you take initiative or take charge of these talks, the very people who gave you the mandate will continue to die of diseases, hunger and war. Dr. John Garang has left his legacy in a very beautiful manner. It’s high time you make peace your legacy because developing South Sudan will NEVER be part of your legacy.Stop the PRIDE and POWER game you and Riek Machar are playing and humble yourself in order to bring PEACE to your people. Listen to the CitizensIt’s very easy for leaders to be out of touch with people and their needs. And being an African leader, people around you usually lie to you to win favors and be seen as the most loyal. Make an effort to be in touch with South Sudanese citizens without any mediators. This could be in form of well-organized town hall meetings or a monthly radio show in which citizens can call in from rural areas and express their concerns directly to you.In this way, you’ll have a chance to gauge what your aides tell you and what the average citizen’s experiences are. Media Freedom and Political Opposition South Sudan is doing exactly what Sudan was/is doing. Your administration is doing the same thing you took up arms to fight. I don’t know whether you don’t see it or you just don’t care. Newspapers are censored if they criticize your administration, political opponents are intimidated, arrested or killed and you rule through a decree like dictators do.These are not part of democracy you seem to sing on regular basis. You’re doing exactly what the likes of Nimeiri, Abboud and Beshir did. It’s high time you make South Sudan different from Sudan.Political opposition and the Media are a mirror through which you can evaluate your performance.Allow people to criticize your administration and then answer them with facts about what you’ve done for South Sudanese. Intimidating journalists and opposition figures gives an impression you’ve failed to deliver. Let different political parties debate openly on South Sudan Television. Get your best political brains to tell South Sudanese your side of the story in open televised debates. This will garner you more respect than the way opposition figures are intimidated now.What you have to request through relevant ministries is journalistic integrity. Journalists who violate their codes of ethics shouldn’t be arrested by security personnel. They should have charges filed by government lawyers and it’s up to the judge to decide. Decrees The word decree appears only once in the South Sudanese Transitional Constitution. And it’s only something to do with failure by parliament to pass the budget bill within 45 days: 88 (7).So where does ruling by decrees get constitutional legitimacy? Dictatorial leaders rule by decrees because they override their constitutions or don’t care about it. Whoever advised you to rule by these unconstitutional decrees is contributing towards your unpalatable legacy. It would have been better if these decrees where constitutionally mandated. Building a nonpartisan Civil Service No country that hopes to prosper can walk even a mile without a functioning civil service.There has to be nonpartisan civil service that should remain in place regardless of what party is in power.Civil Servants shouldn’t be loyal to any political party. The main purpose is to make a given ministry streamlined and functional.In South Sudan now, the minister is everything. And when the minister is removed, there’s hardly anything that remains to tell the next minister what to do. If you hope to do anything in South Sudan without a nonpartisan civil service then you are living in a delusional limitless dimension.Ask seasoned experts in neighboring countries, or even in the ‘west’, on how to build and strengthen a civil service sector in South Sudan. Records in any ministry should remain for future records even when the minister is gone. How do you expect to develop a country when the minister goes with records of that given ministry? President Museveni and Uganda People’s Defense Force No right-minded South Sudanese would dismiss the role Uganda played during the liberation struggle. Museveni and UPDF have helped us a great deal. However, Museveni is a political and diplomatic brother and everything he does for us is primarily in the best interest of Uganda and Museveni’s political ambition. Museveni’s help to South Sudanese wasn’t and isn’t offered pro bono. And we also know that without UPDF, the ‘White Army’ would have probably gone to Juba and this could have caused a bloodbath. But as you are well aware, Museveni’s help to us during the liberation struggle was a function of Beshir’s backing of Lord Resistance Army (LRA).And his current help is an attempt to keep Sudanese president Omar el Beshir away from South Sudan and to project himself as Eastern African ‘strong man.’ The gravest part of UPDF presence in South Sudan is that it portrays you as an impotent president whose army can’t protect the capital and the government.Museveni tells the world that he’ll only withdraw from South Sudan if Juba is secure. This tells South Sudanese and the world one thing: you are incapable of protecting your capital city and that you are president only because UPDF is protecting you.That doesn’t sound like a situation of a strong president. It doesn’t matter what you say about your military strength, UPDF presence and actions have portrayed you as weak, incompetent and someone whose presidency they have protected. That undermines South Sudan as a nation! So wake up Mr. President and listen to your people, allow free media and free political opposition, build real civil service, bring peace to South Sudan and create respectable South Sudan’s army instead of the current medley of tribal militias that make up the SPLA. Kuir ë Garangwww.kuirthiy.info << Older Newer >> 12 Comments KondokoroJanuary 3, 2015 at 2:13 amYou are abusing our Democracy Kiir had not gone beyond the mandate he is still a legitimate leader elected by 98 percent of the people of south sudan why not you wait till the term ends in july then you can open your mouth wideReplyTaban HakimJanuary 3, 2015 at 5:17 pmKondokoro, the author of the article is absolutely write. What democracy are you talking about? Your tribal president is abusing the government by recruiting his tribal militia. Where in the world the president of the nation creates his private army while the national army there? Where on earth the president ordered the massacre of his people? You being as a die hard dinka tribalists won’t take you guys nowhere. If your president thinks that the barrel of the gun is the only option for achiving his tribal ambitions-I guarantee you, he gets it wrong. The nation isn’t build by one tribe, period.ReplyEnforcerJanuary 3, 2015 at 2:54 amKuirWho was the best president in South Sudan that you’re using to set the scale that made president Kiir the worse president ever?ReplyTaban HakimJanuary 3, 2015 at 5:32 pmEnforcer, it doesn’t matter wether there was the best president before Kirr or not. The point is-Kirr has created genocide in the country; does it not make him the worst president ever? Everywhere killings-is that the government you are proud of? Shame on you! Don’t defend the government that massacres its people because the president is from your tribe. Say the truth and the truth will set you free.ReplyBentiu RamaranJanuary 3, 2015 at 3:38 amKuir ë Garang,This is a good advice to your community’s dictator. Salva Kiir is the most world foolish leader.ReplyGatChatwearbolJanuary 3, 2015 at 3:46 amWe will leave the debate to Dinka brothers here. Let it be between ignorance and informed.ReplyKikisikJanuary 3, 2015 at 3:58 amExcellent and well written article! I hope there are more voices that speaks the truth like you Sir, that alone is healing!You have said it all.“Leaders comes leaders goes, but South Sudan will remain forever”ReplyOgalamJanuary 3, 2015 at 7:06 amBravo Mr. Kuir, once again you have hit the nail on the head. Hope you have access to the man with a cowboy hat so that you could email him a copy of this article. Is it possible for you to translate it to Jieng dialect for the gentleman to read.Kondokoro, legitimacy and being elected do not make ones a good president. What you does with the symbol of power which is sword is paramount.ReplyTysonJanuary 3, 2015 at 8:12 amKuir,Unfvortunately, the criminal Jieng alcolades around idiot Kiir do not see beyound their noses. Kiir is more stupid because he is also surrounded by a council of failed Jeing elders stooges and the “empty brain” food lovers who continue to daily lick Kiir’s boots to increase the belly circumferneces.RSS is the only country in the world which is led by a fool, advised by a council of idiots, surrounded by tribal cattle raiders (militias) and mentored by tribal council of demagogues. Kiir’s days are being sanctioned daily!ReplyHope SodogoJanuary 3, 2015 at 10:23 amKuirBravo!! Bravo my friend. This the best Article of 2015. You have uncovered everything and laid naked the falsehood of the government under President Kiir. I wish the president has ears and the will to change for his own good and the good of S.Sudan people.We need more, of people like you and if in the future you decide to run for President, I will support you because as you have outlined, hereby, the Presidency is not a personal thing. Presidency is a national institution that protects interests of all regardless of ethnicity or ideology.To those who dislike such openness as this, I say, keep quiet if you have nothing to subtract or add. Constructive criticism may be painful but it is needed for responsible leadership and direction.In the best interest of our beloved nation I call upon true Nationalists in S.Sudan to rise and defeat the tribalists by using non-violence strategies. Friends of South Sudan worldwide must support voices of reason for democratic reforms of South Sudan.Nationalists from the ruling party need to come clean and support the moderates in other tribes in the quest for change.Extremist in all regions must be defeated. This is important because I know there many people in leadership who do not like the oppression, the killing, and the rape of women as reported.The mainline Churches in conflict zones like the Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church, and Presbyterian Church and Newer Churches like the Pentecostal Church need to be proactive in challenging the leadership for stability of our nation. Silence on the part of The Church is invitation of God’s judgement upon the clergy who have compromised the gospel and refuse to be “Salt and Light of the world.” Silence in the name of “Separation between Church and State” is sin especially if oppression and killing of human beings continues with impunity; if citizens are oppressed; if women are raped, if good policies and the constitution are trampled; if resources are squandered by people in power.In the absence of spiritual guidance offered to the presidency, constituent leaders and army generals the clergy become accomplices.Catholic Church’s top leadership is doing a good job. I wish the other Bishops under him in Conflict Zones are vocal as well. As for the Episcopal Church of S.S top leadership, it is not a secret that they are toothless in pretense of being NEUTRAL while secretly supporting the government with all its tribal and evil tendencies.The Presbyterian Church like the Episcopal Church is toothless and has no influence on the members so I encourage the Catholic Church to become stronger. This also goes for the Pentecostal Church, which is good at transforming lives for Jesus … target the leadership of S. Sudan for spiritual conviction and salvation. A born again Christian is not likely to rape women, kill the innocent and oppress others.This war must be fought on all fronts, civic-non-violence front, led by nationalists from all tribes of South Sudan; the spiritual front led by the clergy.South Sudan is a boat in a turbulent waters. We must all do something to stop it from sinking!!! You are all responsible for our all inclusive survival. Every citizen must chip in to save this boat lest we all sink with it. Once again, bravo, my friend Kuir.ReplyLogucaJanuary 3, 2015 at 1:27 pmSouth Sudanese are sick and tired of Mis. Salva Kirr Kaguta’s leadership. We want to see her go before time come. We wish her death.ReplyKurJanuary 3, 2015 at 3:11 pmKuir,There are many good things you’ve said, but I don’t understand the phrases ” worst president ever and millions of Nuers……” These phrases sound out of balance. They make little sense if any at all. With whom do you compare President Kiir? And where do you get your numbers that millions of Nuers lost their lives? How many people Riek Machar has massacred if I may ask? -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14oo4-fMkFu_-npDZWpi%3DczDjjkc1H%2BrEj_VtFbstS%3Dv-fg%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
