Can IGAD indoctrinate us with a politics of ethics?

What can South Sudan learn from politics of ethics from neighboring countries, or has this type of politics died altogether?

Can IGAD indoctrinate us with a politics of ethics?

By Opoka Christopher Arop

There is need for South Sudan to change fundamentally its political culture towards politics of ethics in our attempt to overcome leadership and governance challenges. While the terrain for this transformation is primarily national, our donor supporters with their international organisations have vital and complementary roles to play. The increasingly conducive environment created by the prospects of an IGAD-led peace constitutes an additional bloc in transforming politics and policies.

 

Good Governance is a political dispensation in which citizens participate in democratic processes�"based on impartiality of law enforcement, greater responsiveness in public service delivery, broader inclusiveness of national actors in policy development and management, and consistent improvement of governmental efficiency and effectiveness in utilising national resources. Governance is an idea that is rarely achieved in its entirety�"even for the most developed societies. The foundation for good governance is ultimately “politics” or more specifically home-bred and nationally-defined political culture in which the primary objective is to serve. This begins with clarity on the part of individual and collective leadership.

 

We need a breakthrough in South Sudanese�"the question of political ethics. By political ethics, I simply mean principled behaviour and purposeful responsibility by those who seek political office. There is no doubt that we need to demand more of this and that this is the pathway to undertaking the challenging journey towards good governance. The politics of ethics should not simply stir swirling debate, but rather it is essential for South Sudan’s social, political and economic governance and transformation. We all know politics is central to management of State and national affairs.

 

The term “politics” or “politician” remains in South Sudan almost synonymous with corruption, greed, self-serving, extravagance, tribalism, regionalism, superficiality, cronyism and violence among other failings. The post-CPA vision of a New Sudan considered political leadership to be a calling and occupation of integrity and honour, and a means to serve society. As soon as the CPA was signed and faultily implemented, the ethical essence of politics was lost. We regained some ethics when South Sudanese voted overwhelmingly for independence, however, sooner after celebrating we lost moral high grounds with which the term “politics” could begin to be perceived and seen as constituting individual and collective responsibility of making positive changes towards greater well-being in our Bomas, Payams, counties, States and at the GOSS level.

 

The struggle for politics of ethics must begin with the acknowledgement that South Sudan’s political realm reflects unacceptable levels of manovolence�"imagined or real. We must therefore be seen and believed especially by South Sudanese to be concretely and actively devising means of reinventing politics. Politics must become once again a worthy occupation that provides the citizenry with hope and opportunities for achieving their own goals in life.

A related challenge for South Sudan has been a culture of entitlement syndrome which has encroached on the culture of merit needed for enabling politics to become a vehicle to serve. In this attitude, some political leaders at all levels of our society seem to believe they do not have to honourably earn what they get from the national treasury. A merit culture in which able leadership is held accountable, and where leaders in turn hold responsible those they enlist to support them in delivery of public services, is a way of life we must uncompromisingly foster in our part of the world. The launch pad of culture of merit is refusal to blindly accept leaders. The merit way of life creates an unreceptive and antagonistic environ for mediocrity�"a climate that continuously applies peer pressure for achieving positive societal change.

 

Let us be frank and open about this. Corruption breeds more corruption which continues like an infection to infect more people. We must find ways of doing the reverse whereby more people are infected by good practices, through corruption prevention education as suggested by the former South Sudan Anti-Corruption chairperson Dr. Pauline Riak.

 

The course of confronting bad governance and corruption is a difficult and risky business, but it must be done with urgency and purpose. Sacrifices have to be made; some people have to simply stand up to halt corruption�"for lack of action is far more costly in human terms with serious consequences for society. It is in this respect that I applaud the work of South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission who together with ordinary people, is seeking to stand, taking focused actions to confront corruption, efforts that can bring South Sudan much closer to translating its enormous developmental potential into reality.

 

An example of how to fight corruption in the SPLA and in Housing and Transport is good litmus. We must eliminate conditions that generate corruption�"procurement and purchase of goods and services. In the Ministry of SPLA Affairs [Defence], instead of centralised food purchases, we can introduce Ration Cash Allowance (RCA) to all military personnel. RCA is effective besides preventing corruption; it can also improve the quality of food for the SPLA. The army will no longer be forced to eat cheap repetitive meals purchased centrally; they can buy meals of their own choice. Moreover, where individual soldiers choose to share costs with their colleagues, especially those who live together, they can form their own committees to purchase food in bulk.

 

It is important to note that some officers will tend to resist these measures, but not the case with the rank and file. The reason for this is simple, some senior officers benefit individually from centralised by colluding with private sector suppliers. The RCA can also be applied in other military spheres, including military service to the SPLA. As a substitute to military hospitals, the Military Medical Insurance (MMI) can be introduced with a goal of increasing flexibility for individual soldiers.

 

The GOSS government can make contributions to the medical scheme while members of the armed forces play their part by making regular contributions. Anyone who falls sick has access to the nearest hospital by presenting a nationally recognised medical insurance card. Not only shall we save money, we shall have realised improved delivery of health services to the SPLA.

 

Such operations within military operations can be extended to other fields including the case of Credit Saving Schemes (CSS). Open to all sections of the armed forces, the scheme will require that soldiers make monthly contribution to CSS, a condition to receiving loans from the scheme. The CSS can improve lives of soldiers and their families by supplementing their salaries via soft loans. I am convinced that these changes will create responsible soldiers and citizenry by directly empowering them, while at the same time attacking the culture of entitlement “corruption being a reward to those who brought the CPA in 2005 and Independence in 2011.”

 

What will we say of those who rob South Sudanese of the very CPA and independence they claim to have brought from God-knows where? Ethiopia can teach us different forms of federal democracy. Uganda can teach us political and economic stability. Kenya can bring in reasons for avoiding tribal violence. Rwanda can share ideas on separation of the military from politics. But will we accept these lessons or choose other more dangerous political trickeries?