Governance
Governance
Governance is defined here as the act of overseeing the control and direction of a country. Good governance is characterized by transparency, accountability, stewardship, strategic vision, the rule of law, responsiveness to public demands, effectiveness and efficiency, fairness and inclusivity, and participation by all citizens in the affairs of a country.
South Sudan lacks an effective and sustainable governance system which respects the rule of law, a free press, effective independent public bodies, energic civil society organizations, and the doctrine of separation of powers.
SPLM led government failed to establish a good governance system since it assumed leadership in 2005. There is no respect for the doctrine of separation of powers. The executive is everything, no independent judiciary and legislature. The executive rule by decrees, hiring and firing corrupt officials who are recycled year in year out. The SPLM led government institutions of governance have reached a dead end, and they will never improve whatsoever so long as the current leaders are stirring the wheels.
The PUF led government will establish a governance system characterized by transparency, accountability, stewardship, strategic vision, the rule of law, responsiveness to public demands, effectiveness and efficiency, fairness and inclusivity, and participation by all citizens in executive, legislative, and judicial affairs of the country.
3.1 Executive
South Sudan is being ruled by a self-imposed executive who denies citizens the right to elect leaders. The self-imposed executive creates wars, negotiates self-interest and fragile peace, and decrees themselves to power. They appoint their colleagues who facilitate their corruption and ignore citizens’ dire needs for basic services.
The SPLM led government deliberately uses wars to oppress oppositions and facilitate their stay in power, depriving the citizens of the right to elect their leaders and hold those elected to power to account for their deeds.
The PUF led government will give power back to the citizens creating an environment conducive to political opinions, freedom of choice, and freedom of association and expression. The PUF led government shall be a lean technocratic government with a maximum of 16 ministries (Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defense, Interior, Finance, Agriculture, TIIT (Trade, Industry, Investment, and Tourism), Transport, Education and Sport, Tertiary Education and Research, Telecommunication and ICT, Labor, Petroleum and Mining, Health, Housing, and Energy).
3.2 Legislature
The legislature is a representative assembly that makes the laws of a country. A mature and independent legislature recognizes people as the source of political power. Citizens choose legislators by popular vote to serve them.
South Sudan lacks an independent legislature that can provide checks and balances to the corrupt executive and weak judiciary. The president appointed the current inflated assembly, rendering its members powerless to provide legislative oversight to the executive and the judiciary. The current inflated assembly is draining resources preventing the financing of critical projects that would have improved the provision of basic services to the citizens.
The SPLM led government deliberately weakened the South Sudan parliament to facilitate their corruption, dodge accountability, rule with impunity, and prolong their stay in power.
The PUF led government will ensure the number of members of the legislative assembly should be equal to the number of constituencies inherited from Sudan until the legitimate parliament shall create the new constituencies. Help the parliament enact laws that will ensure check and balance among the executive, legislature, and the judiciary.
3.3 Judiciary
South Sudan has a weak judicial system that cannot provide checks and balances to the executive and the legislature. The SPLM led government has deliberately rendered the judiciary powerless by appointing surrogates to lead the judiciary. These corrupt surrogates leading the judiciary intimidate and harass judges, thereby crippling the justice system in South Sudan.
The lack of a proper judicial system in South Sudan has encouraged citizens to take laws into their hands. Some communities have adopted revenge killing since the judiciary is powerless, corrupt, and incapable of handling murder cases with impartiality and fair justice. Executive rule with impunity because of a weak judicial system. They kill people at will and continue to intimidate the relatives of those killed.
The PUF led government will establish an independent judicial system headed by professional judges and train judges, magistrates, and lawyers to acquire skills to run the justice system in South Sudan.