By Deng Chol
For over a decade, the people of South Sudan have suffered not only from war, hunger, and displacement but from a political system that has betrayed their hopes.
The dream of independence was meant to bring peace, development, and dignity to all South Sudanese. But instead, that dream has been hijacked by a few individuals who use power not to serve the nation, but to serve themselves.
It is no secret that political interests in South Sudan have taken priority over the welfare of the people.
Government positions have become tools for personal enrichment, tribal appointments, and corruption, instead of platforms for public service.
Instead of uniting us under one flag, our politicians have divided us along tribal and regional lines.
They have fueled hatred among communities that once lived peacefully, turning neighbor against neighbor for their own political gain.
We must no longer be blind to this reality. The people must wake up.
We must recognize that the policies and speeches we hear the tribal loyalties and false promises are designed to distract us from the real issues.
These are not policies built for the poor farmer in Yei, the struggling mother in Malakal, or the jobless youth in Wau.
These are not solutions for the teacher who hasn’t been paid for months or the soldier risking his life without support.
These are lies wrapped in tribal language and empty slogans.
And we, the people, have a choice.
We can continue to follow these leaders and policies that lead us nowhere, or we can turn a new page. We can choose unity over division, truth over propaganda, and peace over conflict.
We can decide that our tribe will no longer determine our politics that our loyalty will be to the nation, not to individuals who exploit us.
It starts with rejecting tribal politics.
The moment we stop seeing ourselves as “Dinka first” or “Nuer first” or “Bari first,” and begin to see ourselves as South Sudanese first, is the moment this nation begins to heal. We must not allow ourselves to be used as weapons in the hands of selfish leaders. Our votes, our voices, and our strength must now be used to hold them accountable.
South Sudan is rich not only in resources but in culture, tradition, and human potential.
We have enough to feed our people, educate our children, and build a nation we can all be proud of. But we will never get there if our politics continues to be based on hate, greed, and tribal division.
It is time to say “enough.”
Enough to leaders who use public office to enrich themselves.
Enough to promises made during campaigns and forgotten after elections.
Enough to political appointments based on bloodline instead of merit.
Enough to the manipulation of the poor by the powerful.
We need leaders who care, not just about their clans or close friends, but about every child sleeping hungry, every school without books, and every village without clean water. We need leaders who invest in peace, in infrastructure, in healthcare, and in jobs not in weapons and war.
But even more than new leaders, we need a new mindset among us, the people.
We must become a nation of informed, united, and active citizens.
Let us speak out against injustice, support peace, and educate our communities.
Let us teach our children that their identity is not limited to tribe, but rooted in shared humanity and national pride.
The politicians will not change unless the people demand change.
So rise, South Sudan.
Wake up from the long nightmare of division and betrayal.
The future belongs to those who build, not those who destroy.
Let us build a nation where peace is real, justice is equal, and leadership is accountable.
Let us build a South Sudan that truly belongs to all of us.