[OPINION] – Can the Church Unite South Sudan?

(Don Bosco Malish)

South Sudan stands at a crossroads. Growing voices, both national and international, are urging its political leaders to embark on a genuine national dialogue to resolve the deeply rooted crisis of governance and stability. The church, through the South Sudan Council of Churches and decades of trusted service, has once again stepped into this historic moment.

It is advocating for and offering to lead, an inclusive dialogue. Yet, this opportunity carries an old and familiar challenge: what form of national conversation can finally break the cycle of unfulfilled promises and deliver lasting transformation?

Looking back at decades of peace efforts, from the Abuja Peace Conference of 1992, the Kejiko and Wunlit dialogues, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), to more recent IGAD led negotiations, it is clear that even the most well meaning processes often ran parallel to the real centres of political power.

The ruling SPLM/A has at times enabled progress, including institution building and the integration of armed groups. But too often it has stalled reforms or failed to fully implement agreements. The repeated struggles over ceasefires, constitutional reforms and political transitions have revealed the complexity of nation building in a post war context, where old grievances clash with new ambitions.

For South Sudan’s national dialogue to succeed where others have failed, it must take a different path. It cannot be another elite deal or closed door leadership negotiation. It must be truly inclusive, built on accountability and committed to real implementation.

Only by ensuring grassroots participation and broad national ownership where ordinary citizens and marginalised communities are heard can the dialogue move beyond symbolic reconciliation to become the foundation of a legitimate and lasting political order.

The church is uniquely placed to drive this change. Its strength is not in coercion, but in the trust and moral legitimacy it has earned. Its history in both Sudan and South Sudan is marked by tireless mediation, healing and advocacy for the voiceless.

From “People to People” peace conferences to trauma healing and reconciliation in towns and remote cattle camps, the church has often succeeded where politics alone has failed, becoming the channel through which truth is spoken and compassion begins to heal.

Yet, one of South Sudan’s hard lessons is that the church’s strengths i.e. moral persuasion, grassroots mobilisation and unwavering commitment to peace do not automatically produce enforceable political outcomes. Too often, church led dialogues have run alongside, rather than within, national or state structures.

Without integration with political actors and support from international accountability mechanisms, the transformative potential of these initiatives risks being weakened by bureaucratic inertia or elite resistance.

A new approach is needed. The church’s next initiative should be boldly designed to produce a transitional government with a limited mandate: finalising the constitution and preparing for free, fair and representative elections.

This process, grounded in humility and national service, would prioritise collective aspirations over narrow political interests. It would call all stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric and act as co-creators of a peaceful and just future.

South Sudan’s crisis is undeniably complex. But the church’s consistent witness to forgiveness, dialogue and inclusion shines as a beacon of hope. History shows that lasting change requires both courageous vision and practical partnership. Now is the moment for the church and national leaders to embrace a new paradigm and to finally turn the longed for promise of peace into reality.

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