A story is told of a gazelle and a lion.
One hot afternoon, a hungry lion saw a gazelle. It was a dry season when almost everything was scarce. Lions could not easily get what to feed on. All the dry grass burned up. Since there was no bush for gazelle to hide, all the gazelles and other animals moved to other locations with bushes to feed on and water to drink from.
It was by coincidence that the lion and the gazelle met at that horrible hour. The lion was hungry and the gazelle was hungry too. The hungry lion saw the gazelle. He planned so well how he could eat her. He knew gazelles run so fast. But his comfort came from the fact that there was no bush to run.
Without wasting time, the hungry lion calculated his steps towards the gazelle. The gazelle knowing the condition of that desert sensed something was about to happen. Her curiosity was very correct. She saw a big lion running towards her. She knew her fate was about to happen!
Knowing that no help could come anywhere, the gazelle remembered how she used to run those days for her life. She started to run. The lion could not waste time too. He also ran after the gazelle. The two had had their race in the desert. A desert without any bush was a privilege for the lion but the worst experience for the gazelle. The two ran for about an hour. Everyone knows gazelles run faster than most animals, especially when there is nowhere to hide.
After an hour, the gazelle which was already tired and about to give up saw something like bush just a distance. She doubted it at first but it became clear to her as she ran closer. It was truly bush. It was small bush which didn’t burn for the reason the gods knew. The gazelle gathered her courage to at least reach the small bush to hide.
It can be called luck, I think. The gazelle reached the small bush without the hungry lion catching her. She quickly entered the bush and used her hide-and-seek skills. She made her Zebra move and confused the lion. The poor lion was confused about where the gazelle ran. He searched and searched, but the result was only a disappointment. He didn’t find any gazelle. He could not believe how that gazelle disappeared in just that shortest moment.
One thing the lion could not fail to guess was that the gazelle was hungry. He knew two things would happen. If the gazelle doesn’t want to die of hunger, she must eat the bush which she was hiding in. The lion knew very well that the gazelle must not accept to die. She must eat the bush. She would conclude that no danger than hunger anymore. The wise lion just left the bush and went some meters away from it.
After about 30 minutes, the poor gazelle concluded that the lion was gone. She started to think about what to do next. She found she was very hungry. She concluded that she must eat the bush she was hiding in. Hunger could not allow her to reason more. She started eating the bush until it was finished. She became satisfied and her hunger ended. She lay down to rest for some moment.
After her short rest, she stood up. She just took a few steps and the lion saw her. The lion seeing around saw nothing like the bush. He knew the gazelle had eaten the bush. He became happy because he must eat the gazelle this time. He ran towards the gazelle. The gazelle knew that she did the worst for herself. She would not have eaten the bush that was hiding her. But that was too late. She started to run but this time she was heavy after finishing a big bush. Could it really take them five minutes running; the poor gazelle was caught. The lion which was very hungry ate the gazelle in less than 15 minutes. The gazelle was no more! She ate her bush.
My leaders, please, don’t eat your bush. I hope you know the citizens are your bush. You were elected by them. You are protected by them. If it happens that this country gets into fighting with of one of its neighboring countries, you won’t pick a gun to fight. You will still mobilize the citizens to fight. The next election is coming. Who will elect you if you eat them all?
The civil servants are not paid. Aren’t you eating your bush? Remember the gazelle ate her bush because she was hungry. You are eating what should be given to the civil servants because you are hungry. Yes, you are hungry. I understand it so well. But it remains, you are eating your bush. Will you survive if the civil servants turn against you? I have heard some institutions are going on strike. I read a letter published by the University of Juba staff that they need their money or else they won’t work any longer.
Just imagine the soldiers, my leaders! The soldiers are your big bush. Every country stands because of its army. Our soldiers are going hungry. They have families. They have children. They have school fees to pay. They have house rent to pay. They have medical bills to clear. They need food to eat. You are not giving them their money. What do you think makes them survive? How can they loyally defend the nation when they go hungry? Why do you want them to curse becoming a soldier? The army is your big bush. Eat it and tell me whether you will escape from the lion. The gazelle didn’t escape. I fear whether you will escape.
Resources are not shared equally. Aren’t you eating your bush? If a cow has twins, the twins sack milk from the same cow. All the tributaries flow into the same river. When it rains, water does not only fall on the fields belonging to the chief or the royal family. Even a thief’s field receives rain. The sun shines on everyone, whether rich or poor. Even kings die. So, death does not discriminate. Citizens are citizens. Please, allow them to share what belongs to them.
Provide services to the nation, otherwise, you are eating your bush. Our hospitals have no facilities. Visit Juba Teaching Hospital. Our schools have poor facilities, visit them. Our roads are not constructed. Check Gudele Road. One morning someone was joking that that crack there on the Gudele road will be no more if the president goes to Luri. Coming from Luri, he must use the road. At least the roads in the city should be constructed. See the jams on Gudele Road each evening. I am not renting in Gudele next year. We won’t face those challenges if the roads are well constructed.
If you claim there is no money. Where is the oil money? Where is the money from the Revenue Authority? Who holds the big buildings in the city? I was told many of them are owned by individuals from the government. Who owns the big hotels in the city? I was told some government leaders own them. You approve ten million dollars for medication. Be honest. There is money but maybe it is meant for individuals.
I am writing to help you. I am not criticizing you. I care for your happiness. I care for your peace. It is noble to do right. The citizens need to trust you. Those who speak to you love you. Those who correct you love you. Your enemies must be those who backbite you. Never hate those who can speak to you openly. I know it is not easy for some of you to do what you know is right. You must be under someone. You must only follow the orders of that person. Some of you are pressured by your tribe men and women. They threaten you that you won’t remain their trusted member if you don’t serve their interest. I understand your condition very well but remember that is how the gazelle concluded to eat the bush. She only calculated the condition she was in, the condition of hunger without considering the bigger picture. Your problem and the problem of your family or tribe is not the bigger picture. The interest of the nation is the bigger picture.
My dear people, we all eat our bush in so many ways. We forget that whatever we do comes to us just the same way. We hate people who will help us tomorrow. We mistreat people who are practically our hope. You undermine people who are our rescuers. The president is elected. But when the president moves on the road, whoever is not careful can be knocked down and no law condemns the president. Who will elect the next president if that citizen dies? The person you think is not important to you is exactly the person who protects you. The gazelle hid herself in the bush. After her trouble was over, she started to eat the bush and the trouble came back. Be kind to the nation.