Batali Gabriel Modi (Mondurute) is South Sudanese citizen, commentator, and advocate for peace, justice and national unity. He writes as a concerned son of South Sudan.
Lobbying for positions one does not deserve has become one of the biggest dangers to governance in South Sudan. It is not only shameless but dangerous. Serving the people is neither a toy nor a dumping ground for selfish ambitions.
For more than a decade, the people of South Sudan have paid a heavy price for mediocre leadership. Civil servants often go for 15 to 16 months without salaries. Public hospitals lack essential medicines, schools are run down and major infrastructure projects remain incomplete.
Meanwhile, leaders chase positions not to serve, but to enrich themselves at the expense of others. The outcome is a country trapped in poverty, insecurity and hopelessness.
The National Cost of Incompetence
When unqualified people accept jobs they cannot handle, the burden falls not on them but on the entire nation. Dysfunctional systems, stalled development and preventable deaths become part of daily life. The crisis in South Sudan is not due to a shortage of resources, but a shortage of leaders with competence, integrity and vision.
The late Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General, once remarked: “If leaders do not lead, the people will walk alone.”
This is the reality in South Sudan, where citizens survive not because of government support but in spite of it. Families and communities build their own livelihoods and safety nets without substantial state assistance.
Leadership Is Not a Hustle
Leadership is not about titles, power or prestige. It is about responsibility and service. Nelson Mandela reminded us:
“Lead from behind and let others believe they are in front. Leadership is sacrifice, humility and responsibility.”
Sadly, in South Sudan, leadership is too often treated as a business opportunity, a way to get rich, reward supporters and undermine rivals. Julius Nyerere of Tanzania said decades ago:
“Leadership is not about ruling. It is about serving.” When leaders abandon this truth, nations collapse under corruption, nepotism and greed.
The Urgent Need for Change
South Sudan must stop glorifying mediocrity under official titles. Those without skills, knowledge or integrity should step aside. A country cannot be held hostage by the egos of the incompetent.
To move forward, South Sudan needs:
+ Meritocracy – Appointments based on competence, not connections or tribe.
+ Integrity – Leaders committed to responsibility and ethical behaviour.
+ Visionary Leadership – Public office must serve to build enduring systems, not personal wealth.
+ Civic Courage – Citizens should refuse to accept mediocrity and must hold elected leaders accountable.
The late John Garang de Mabior, whose vision inspired independence, said: “The problem of Africa is not the absence of resources, but the absence of leadership.” His words ring even truer in the country he fought for.
South Sudan does not bleed because it has nothing. It bleeds because of a leadership crisis. Citizens suffer most when public office becomes a hustle. Enough is enough. Competence, integrity and vision must be demanded.
Conclusion
Public office is sacred and must be treated as such. Leadership is not a business but a duty of service. Anything less is betrayal of the people, the nation and the sacrifices that brought South Sudan to independence.
The world is watching as South Sudan faces two options: remain trapped in mediocrity or build a nation on competent, ethical and visionary leadership. Nelson Mandela said it best:
“Action without vision is wasting time. Vision without action is daydreaming. Vision with action can change the world.”
South Sudan needs leaders who embody both vision and action. Public office is not an entitlement to exploit, but a spiritual responsibility to respect.
Batali Gabriel Modi (Mondurute) is a South Sudanese citizen, commentator and advocate for peace, justice and national unity. He writes as a concerned son of South Sudan.
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