The Struggle to Manage Africa’s Newest Capital City

(OPINION / Tito Justine) – Why has the Juba City Council continued to struggle with the effective management of Africa’s newest capital since 2011?

When a visitor lands at Juba International Airport and is driven around the city for only fifteen minutes, the challenges facing this young capital become immediately clear. The problems have persisted for more than a decade. Those who have led the city, including those who returned to office after being removed, have continued to operate in ways that weaken basic service delivery.

The Juba City Council is facing serious shortcomings, especially in service delivery such as waste management and infrastructure, along with financial transparency, accountability, urban planning and the enforcement of by laws.

These issues have been visible to city leaders from the very beginning, even though Juba collects some of the highest revenues in South Sudan.

Residents, activists and officials have repeatedly pointed to both past and current leadership failures:

Inadequate Waste Management and Sanitation

The city is overwhelmed with piles of uncollected rubbish, open dumping and blocked drains. This exposes residents to health risks such as cholera and malaria. Cholera continues to strike the city almost every year.

Poor Infrastructure

Roads, especially feeder roads in residential areas across all suburbs of Juba, remain unpaved, worn out and often impassable during the rainy season. Poor infrastructure increases transport costs and limits access to essential services. It is troubling that after more than a decade the city has not managed to acquire even a single tractor to maintain its feeder roads.

Lack of Urban Planning and Weak Land Management

Although engineers have made efforts to demarcate the city, Juba still lacks a proper master plan. This has led to chaotic development, land grabbing and long land disputes that often drag on for years in the courts.

Financial Mismanagement and Corruption

There are key questions that remain unanswered: Does Juba City have a publicly available annual budget? Is revenue collection transparent? How is the City Council protecting businesses after imposing monthly taxes that many consider excessive? The gap between taxes collected and the services provided is wide, fuelling public suspicion that funds are mismanaged or diverted. Contracts are sometimes awarded to companies without the needed qualifications simply because of political connections, which deepens service delivery failures.

Weak or Absent Policy Enforcement

It is rare to see the City Council lobbying lawmakers or national leaders to approve policies and convert them into law. Policy enforcement is weak, and accountability is limited. Political influence and unclear roles between state and national authorities make it difficult to solve local issues.

Limited Access to Basic Services

Many residents in outer areas lack reliable electricity and clean piped water. Water delivery is often controlled by private vendors who operate without regulation. These vendors can easily challenge or ignore City Council directives because the Council has no clear policy or legal framework to protect consumers.

Declining Public Trust

Due to these ongoing failures, many residents have lost confidence in the City Council’s ability to deliver basic services. This frustration has led to public protests and even attempts to sue the government for negligence. However, the surrounding political environment has made it difficult for citizens to push these actions further.

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