The March to State-House Must Go On!

‘‘the day soldiers stop bringing their problems to you, know that it’s the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence and decide you can’t help anymore or conclude you don’t care. Either case is a failure of leadership’’. Colin Powell.

By Dak Buoth,

Nov 8, 2015(Nyamilepedia) —- The political orphans who were purged in the fascist regime back in 2013 have already begun packing their belongings in earnest, ready to board a plane and fly to Juba.

They are now beating drums and blowing horns celebrating their going back in advance. The 15th December or January next year which was set for their return seemed too far according to what we’re seeing. Its done deal as long as their political interests have been catered for, and to them it’s a fair game. Those of us who are seeking for concrete and long lasting social order are the ones crying foul. Notwithstanding, we’re still cognizant of old adage which says ‘‘revolution is not an apple that falls when ripe. You have to make it fall’’

It’s unbelievable that these erstwhile colleagues behave as if that Day will never reach; they are saying unashamedly, we can’t wait anymore. Can’t wait, won’t wait, is their inner slogan. Right now they are sending a confusing invitation messages to their cohorts all over Eastern Africa and Europe to leave their mansions and urge them to get prepare for the day is near.

Their ravenous anxiousness to return to Juba is however making them not to think and strategies well. Can someone remind them of Kiswhali proverb saying ‘‘Haraka Haraka aina baraka’’ In English mean Hurry, hurry has no blessing. At the moment, we’re just spectating how they are stampeding in the media like wild beasts which are struggling to cross the river full of crocodiles.

Their mouthpieces are trying to hoodwink one another cleverly in the public domain. Every morning you wake up, you find in the news, this one say this, the next day, the other one say the other, and all their claims are contradictory.

Last week it was reported that they intend to leave this week, another source later came and deny the same. Fortnight ago we saw a statement saying their chief of staff was cut loose, they later refute it and say no, that it is the work of the enemy. Now who is the enemy?. Do they still refer to Juba gatekeepers as enemies yet they are going there. Who is fooling who? Can somebody help us understand this rhetoric?

Currently, each of them has a bowl in his right hand eagerly waiting to go and fetch in the same river, they want to go and shower in the same red pool, thus, to them everything is okay as long as their kinsmen are promised of jobs come next year.

In view of that, anyone who dares say let’s pause for while in bid to meditate upon issues which are being provided for in the agreement is the number one foe. They are only interesting in running with hand-written papers believing that there is binding agreement. It seemed they’re saying what Mr. Hyena normally said in his prayers when he is about to break into goats or cattle byre, ‘hoo god I just want my head to enter, I don’t care what will happen to other part of the body.

From the legal viewpoint, an agreement or contract is never in writing or papers per se. A binding agreement is always the meeting of the minds. As long as the duo protagonists have not fully agree in term and conditions lay out in the negotiation table, I can asure you’re yet to see a showdown.

Political pundit and strategists like Prof. Nyaba whose intellectual agility I profoundly respect and hold at pedestal should advise them now instead of waiting to write memoirs later about the ongoing blunders.

Well, a Nuer Man once said, lueke raan ke lunyde jok. Meaning always advise someone on his return, don’t comment before s/he try what s/he intend to do because he will misunderstood that you just want sabotage his plan.

Goodbye and I wish you well in your uphill journey. Don’t ever misconstrue these views for ego; in fact we’re not jealous of anything. We had just thought and believe perhaps we can transform one another as we look toward the future, thus, now that it is crystal clear that you only long for you and you and still you till the end. I’m not party to that.

The cardinal reason why I have never cried so loudly after the unveiling of the 2013 conflict was because i already went out of tears. I had wailed enough before the war erupted. I foresaw the win of war coming right before it happened. On the one hand, the wrath of Juba regime was first felt where I hail from.

The moment the bullets and bombs starts raining on the people on 15th December 2015, I tend to become like someone who was nursing a sick patients in the hospital. Normally the one who nurse the hospitalized person don’t cry very much in event the patient passes on, because he has been doing that all nights long unlike the one who have just heard the news. He does keeps mum. It is those who have just heard the news for the first time that will cry uncontrollably for it is still fresh in their minds.

In our case, those who felt the hit after their relatives were expunge followed the July 2013 cabinet reshuffle, and or later after the 15th December violent outbreak, they wail to much because it was fresh in their minds unlike those of us who have seen it coming earlier. Thus, now that they are promised to get back their jobs next year followed the IGAD negotiation, to them the problem is solved and justice is done in their lenses.

At the onset, the objectives of downtrodden to which I belong go beyond that shallow self-aggrandizement; we’re not interested in the mere change of guards or mere truce. The Agenda we demand are fundamental and more structural and institutional than that. We see that reappointing of the same SPLM individuals who have masterminded this mess to the all structure is certainly not going to change anything.

Until when the culture and political philosophy in the country shifted so that we can witness a tangible, practical justice and sustainable reconciliation in the country, and therefore that change can never be usher in or superintended by very same people who have been presiding over the rot for the last decade since independent in 2005, those who plant the seeds of corruption and tribalism.

You will be told, it has never worked anywhere else. We needed a check-up from outside and this is what IGAD should prefer from the onset if at all their effort in the restoration of peace will bear fruits.

As progressive forces, our quest is broader and futuristic; we seek to install a complete overhauling of the current SPLM system devoid of any political gimmicks. And we’re still steadfast to do that in nonviolent procedure.

War is not one of our principles, unless we’re compelled to act in that way, hence we shall have no option but to comply in manner deem appropriate, and we shall not be cowed by mercenaries.

As matter of fact, the reunion of the SPLM members is the end of conflict in itself, because everyone knows that this war is the state sponsor terror orchestrated to intimidating the civil population with sole aim to maintain their iron hold on power. Unbeknown to them, their dirty plan has now bounced, they have been caught red handed. They will now face retribution for crimes they preside on

I have lividly said in my first ever article titled ‘‘there was no coup attempt in Juba, but a coronation of autocracy’’ published on 24th January 2014, that this SPLM fight is political strategy meant to confuse the public such that they can later form a Unity government among themselves without allowing the south Sudanese citizenry elect new leaders of their choices. It is ploy to skip the 2015 poll. If indeed their enmity was real, how come no one among them was hurt among detainees that were at their custody.

The truth be told, like PLO Lumumba once said, ‘‘let that which is sound be recognized for its soundness and let that which is weak be recognized for its weakness, this is how thing are done in the civilized nations throughout the world

We’re committed to remove the tribal poison that has been injected into the political arena in South Sudan, we shall continue to talk to our people not with emotion that inflame their anger but rather with firmness that open their eyes..

I call on the young South Sudanese across all corners of our republic to remain in the trenches, and defend the gains of our independent. The quest for political emancipation which was started by our forefathers in 1955 must be safeguarded jealously.

The founders of nation wanted us to be free men and women, to live in peace and harmony among ourselves and with our neighbors; to have dignity, to feed ourselves; to exploit our resources in fullness for our benefit and everybody else; they wanted us to be educated so as to engage effectively in the development of the region, continent and the world.

A lot of people die for that cause, and we associated with that struggle, dying for the cause, us never mind dying for the cause. Up to now we don’t mind dying for the cause, though we know they are still able to get rid of us, those whom they can, but the struggle must go on. Che Guevara said, I know you’re here to kill me, go on and shot me coward, you’re only going to kill a man not an idea’’

Decision is life time, we won’t bog down no matter how daunting the journey maybe. ‘Fighting tyrant is an obedience to God’ Luckily, SPLM is now a one legged regime waiting to fall apart. By next year 2016 onward, immediately after they crown their reunion, the talk that we are fighting on tribal bases will be no more because the tribalism issue is the creation of SPLM bigwigs to set us against one another. Thereafter, it will be real contest for democracy, and the theme of that battle will be dubbed, forces of justice versus cliques of impunity.

We’re living in pariah state, and our future is at stake.

How is it that Nuer and Dinka are treated equally only in prison? We must eradicate tribal prejudice first and foremost if we’re to ascertain our lion share quickly. Aluta continua.

The writer lives in Kenya; he can be reach for comment via eligodakb@yahoo.com