By: Luk Kuth Dak
June 15, 2014 (SSNA) — South Sudan has more tribes than I can personally count. Therefore, we have to work hard to build a national solidarity that is inclusive and that is good.
That will require a new leadership that looks far beyond our tribal barriers. But for the past eight years and counting, we have had the bitter taste of what a tribal regime is all about under Mr. Salva Kiir Mayadit, the disgraced President of the republic of South Sudan.
A new leadership is crucial to guiding our beloved country’s direction. If we don’t act now, the questions about leadership changes become prominent, and we will have no country to talk about.
That’s why we must pull together- yet again- to remove the man who took our trust for granted, Mr. Salva Kiir Mayardit, by all means possible. We need to do this because national solidarity is essential to the health of the country. These feelings of solidarity mean that we do pull together and not apart, particularly in times of crisis, like after the untimely death of our founding father, Dr. John Garang de Mabior.
Despite our virtual differences, we managed to pull together as a one nation. Unfortunately, President Kiir failed us all by not building on that monumental momentum.
In any event, the court of public opinion has already tried and convicted Kiir for his horrendous crimes in the genocide of the Nuer innocent civilians. Therefore, there is no way he could possibly be still an effective leader, when all the while, the victim’s families are crying for justice, and they will only continue to do so until that illusive justice emerges.
Meanwhile, Dr. Riek Machar, Chairman and Commander-in- Chief of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in- Opposition, should be commended for his leadership to end the crisis civilly and peacefully, even though his movement is aiming for more victories in South Sudan, emboldened by its stunning diplomatic success in turning the world against Kiir including his pal, the Ugandan tyrant, Yoweri Museveni.
No doubt, Kiir’s diplomatic defeat is only going to give a renewed energy to the federalism movement base, which started as a protest against the dictatorship regime. “It’s going to motivate and fire them up in a very, very big way,” said an insider, who wants to remain unanimous for security reasons.
With Museveni gone wild, Al- Basher undecided and Machar’s diplomatic victories, Kiir- virtually- has nothing to fall back on, and it would be fatal for him to try to hold on to a power that has no legs to stand on. Therefore, the best exit strategy for the President is to call it quits, and not waste anymore time that can be used in the nation building under a new leadership, a new path and a new vision.
This new vision, this new path and this new leadership will not and should not include those who want to have it both ways, as it is the case with the so-called “Former detainees.”
Still, what is so delightful is that- once and for all- no longer are we going to hear Mr. President, nor Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, or Mr. Michael Makuei, telling us of the so-called coup d’état.
That is a victory in itself!
Luk Kuth Dak is a syndicated columnist. Hit me on my e-mail at [email protected], or on Tweeter @kuthdak, to let me know how together we can help our beloved country.