From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013

Alfred from Vihiga, Kenya writes: “Fr Omolo Beste I read your article on South Sudan where you mentioned that the conflict there is between two giant tribes, that is Dinka and Nuer, I hear that South Sudan is categorized in states and one state is almost big like Kenya, I am just wondering how one president can manage to unite all the tribes there”.

Thank you Alfred for the question-yes, you are correct South Sudan is categorized in States and all of them are too big. There are 10 States with Jonglei being the biggest at the size of Rwanda or Burundi.

It is followed by Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Upper Nile, Central Equatoria, Lakes, Warrap and Unity State respectively. With its diversity it is quite a challenge for one president to unite all the tribes. Warrap is the State of President Salva Kiir.

Dennis from Nairobi writes: “Father Beste, I have lived in South Sudan twice, just like what happened in Kenya in the early years of independence, which incidentally they learnt in Kenya is grabbing and letting own tribesmen grab. We are yet to see the worst in SS. It is simply greed”.

Jerome from Nimule, South Sudan writes: “Fr Omolo Beste, may be you can’t remember me-I am from Nimule Parish and one of the youths who attended your course on human rights, Western Deanry, Magwi County. You came with Mr Joseph Ngala of People for Peace in Africa, Sr Joseph Bunde and Kenyan human rights activist, Mr Okiya Omtatah among other teams.

In your article you have mentioned tribalism as a major problem in South Sudan. While it is true, corruption is also one of the biggest problems here. Recently South Sudan and Somalia have been listed among the five most corrupt countries in the world in the 2013 ranking by the global corruption watchdog, Transparency International. Somalia was ranked 177, Sudan 174 and South Sudan was placed 173. What do you say about this?”

When the country became independent in 2011, all South Sudanese had expectations and hopes that after the independence of South Sudan, the issues of corruption, poverty, illiteracy, diseases, tribal conflicts and ignorance would become things of the past.

Dennis from Nairobi, Kenya and Jerome from Nimule, South Sudan have similar view. All is to do with greed. My article of September 21, 2011-“Why Kiir may find it difficult to fight graft in South Sudan” tells it all.

Another problem Kiir’s government is faced with include the land disputes. Madi Land issues for example, are already a big one. Most of their lands had been taken by Dinka soldiers when they went to take refuge in Uganda. Until now the Dinkas have refused to return land to them.

There is also the border conflict between Uganda and Sudan. The Sudanese are claiming customary boundary from the Madi and Aringa people in Uganda. The Sudanese are accusing the Madi of Moyo and Yumbe districts in Uganda of extending their administrative structures inside their land.

There are also the pressing needs arising from armed violence and natural disasters, such as food and water for displaced people. Then there are the tens of thousands of South Sudanese who, recently returned from the north, now need help starting a new life. In addition, public services are lacking, leaving the whole population with limited access to health care, education and even drinking water.

The South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir has accused the country’s forces of corruption, saying it had been squandering resources through dubious activities, citing ghost names on the payroll system.

In February last year, South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission (SSACC) asked the SPLA top generals to declare their income and assets, in an effort to tackle corruption.
The accounts of the army and other organised forces have not been audited since 2005 and a lot of money is believed to be unaccounted for.

Salva Kiir has accused current and former senior officials of stealing at least $4bn in state funds. In a letter to those he suspects of taking the money, he says: “We fought for freedom, justice and equality. Yet, once we got to power, we forgot what we fought for and began to enrich ourselves at the expense of our people ….”

Last month, World Bank documents warned of possible “state collapse” if South Sudan runs out of foreign exchange reserves, which it said could be depleted by July.

According to a previously released report by the South Sudanese auditor-general, over $1bn from oil revenues was unaccounted for during 2005 and 2006.

The auditor-general’s report also indicated that for two consecutive years there was no financial reporting of what happened to non-oil revenues that were collected in taxes by the national government or states. Billions more were feared missing between 2007 and 2011.

Millions of dollars were also reportedly smuggled out of South Sudan in bags across borders to unknown destinations. This is expected to continue since there is no strong system of check and balances in the government.

Yet, the SPLM officials are still with the hangover from the kind of soldier behavior where they found themselves to be above the law and could use money as they wished.

Apart from corruption there is also violence by security forces against civilians, critics of the government and journalists. All these are happening due to lack of system set to protect civilians.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002