Among the words or statements extremely abused, change comes the second after ‘be job creators’. How can one create a job in this “hyper-taxative” era of Juba City Council? Anyway, that is not my subject now. Let’s get to the subject at hand.
Many people talk about change, but they are unaware that change does not fall from heaven. God cannot release change because you have talked about it severally. It is talked about, called for and implemented. It is here where God intervenes. Be reminded that God helps those who help themselves.
Have you ever tried bringing change? If you have ever tried, then why did you fail? What new strategy have you now in your pipeline for change? What delays you then? Who are you waiting for? Remember, even if there is a little change taking place, that change is sluggish.
If the United States of America still calls for change, how many times do you think South Sudan will call for change? Million times. The USA calls for a changed change unlike South Sudan which is calling for change for the first time. Talking about change is a day-to-day business, but making it happen is so hard.
Unlike elderly people, but youth, who are supposed to divide themselves into two; one for catalysis and another for real fighting, are seen sitting at the back, relaxing as if all is well. But all is not well and what all needs to be well is nothing, but change. This change is of great importance to the under- and unprivileged people in general and youth in particular.
But I do not know why youth take a back seat in this first. The bloodless war on earth is a war for change. It is a peaceful war fought with words. No leader fails to mention change, but when he/she takes over, the change he/she prioritized is changed to do with himself/herself.
No leader puts South Sudan at heart completely. Each of them struggles to come to power to develop himself/herself at the expense of others. If there were leaders who could care for people, who would starve in this land of abundance?
Who would starve when oil alone can feed the whole country and revenues from other sources could just be kept as a surplus? But now the whole oil flows into the mouths of a very few individual South Sudanese and another bigger portion flows to the foreign land.
What type of change do I need you to call for? I’m not urging you to call for a regime change, that would be so consequential. I’m urging you to call for change of policies governing every institution.
The army is politicised and the parliament is militarized. Call for a de-politicisation of the army! Call for a demilitarisation of the parliament! Call for resizing of the compensatory RT-GoNU! Call for standardisation of the employment policies! Call for the independence of the judiciary!
Call for an end to corruption! Call for detribalisation! Call for anything you see can change the status quo. Why are you waiting for what is waiting for you? Even change itself is tired of waiting for you to call for it. If not now, then when?
The author is a medical student, University of Juba.