By Masmina Turuju Ejidio
Juba residents are calling upon the state government to reinstate the Juba City Former Mayor Kalisto Lado Faustino.
Kalisto was fired by the Central Equatoria State Governor Emmanuel Adil on Thursday evening.
The news of his relieve had gone viral on social media with netizens expressing their concerns.
Speaking to No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper in an interview yesterday, most Juba residents expressed disappointment over the removal of the Mayor, urging the state government to reinstate Kalisto.
They described the fired mayor as a hardworking and exemplary leader that brought change into the city within the few months he was serving as Juba City Mayor.
Betty Poni, one of the vendors who is also a widow said Kalisto was progressing well in raising the standard of Juba City.
“Every work needs a plan to go forward. He was doing well though he was not cooperating with the citizens but we believe that his work was already bringing change. If not civilians, there is nothing called Government in the Country. Government must listen to our voices” she said.
“For us here in Buwaba Lou, we have no market that’s why we are selling by the road side. Juba is clean, the vehicle to collect rubbish comes on time, the environment is clean, he enlarged the roads too, we need him back he understands our situations” Poni added.
Ajak Agwuin, 30 years old man said he did not witness any bad thing done by Kalisto Ladu to be fired.
He said within just short period, Kalisto being in power has done many good things.
“He did nothing bad, but in this Country, when you are working hard to bring change into the Country, the government may relieve you from your job anytime because South Sudan Government needs half illiterate people that they can fool and accept to loot the country” he said.
“In my opinion, I need him back. Look at our roads, are large, I like that he warned all those with iron sheet shops to build permanent ones. I do not think whether someone will work like Kalisto” Ajak added.
Achol Deng, a vendor and a mother of five in Gudele said at first Kalisto was such a person that understands the situation of the vendors.
She said they met with Kalisto to explain their situations and he accepted them to keep selling their commodities by the roadside.
“If we cannot bring change into our country, who will develop our country? Kalisto was doing well but the government of this country is politicizing things including the development of the country which Kalisto sacrificed himself for. We need him back” she said.
A 25 year old, Akol Deng a Juba resident said the relieving of the Mayor was not good adding that Kalisto was organizing the city for the benefit of the Country not for his own benefit.
“What the Government of Central Equatoria did is not good, how can you relieve someone who works tirelessly for the country? If he (Kalisto) can develop the city within some months, I think he would have done more when not fired” Akol said.
Stella John one of the business person in Custom Market said, it is the role of the citizens to work together with the Government to bring positive changes into the country.
“I believe that there is influence from the foreigners affected by demolition that led to the firing of Kalisto. We thought God have sent us a good leader from above but we the civilians never knew that the Government was not happy with Kalisto’s sacrifice” she said.
Another Business person, Gabriel Deng stated that he was surprised on Thursday evening (18th November 2021) to hear that Kalisto was sacked.
He added that, South Sudan will not develop if the government is still firing the young energetic leaders.
“I do not think Governor Adil fired Kalisto for his work according to the law but maybe under the influence of some people and the foreign traders including those whose houses were demolished” he said.
“If our people think Kalisto was not in a right place or what he was doing was not good, but to some of us, it was good. I can conclude by saying that we need our Kalisto back” Gabriel said.
One of the residents who refused to disclose his name for fear of reprisal said all what Kalisto was doing at his watch was fine.
The source said he was so annoyed because the former Mayor was doing the right thing since the city was completely in a mess.
“I think the commercial sex workers can resume their dirty, witchcrafts too, and drivers to pack in the middle of the roads, businessmen can now sell the commodities in the middle of roads, if they think that what Kalisto was doing was bad” he exalted.