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PaanLuel Wël Media Ltd – South Sudan

"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing" By Konstantin Josef Jireček, a Czech historian, diplomat and slavist.

Unity and Meritocracy: The Foundation for a Prosperous South Sudan

A young South Sudanese girl poses with the flag of South Sudan


By Joe Mabor, Heidelberg, Germany

Wednesday, 09 July 2025 (PW) — Fourteen years ago today, July 9, 2011, the world watched in awe as South Sudanese rejoiced and danced to the birth of a new nation – South Sudan- a nation born from blood of millions of heroes and heroines that perished in the 21-years fight for freedom and independence. May their Souls rest in eternal Peace.

This freedom and independence was not just a political victory, but a moral one: the right to govern ourselves and build a better future.

Yet, freedom is only the first step in the long journey to self-determination Fourteen years later, South Sudan remains a nation at a crossroads, still searching for direction. Political instability, economic hardship, and ethnic division continue to block the path to peace and prosperity.

In retrospect, one is bound to ask critical questions.

• What must we change to prevent further deterioration?

• How can we build a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan?

• How can all South Sudanese, across 64 tribes, contribute to shaping their shared destiny?

The answer lies in unlocking the full potential of what we already have. South Sudan must be built on two foundational pillars: Unity and Meritocracy. We must rise above tribalism, nepotism, and favoritism—and embrace a future rooted in our shared identity and history, where human and material resources are used efficiently and effectively to build a strong nation.

The Problem in Perspective: The Data

Let’s understand the urgency of our situation through hard facts.

According to the 2025 IMF report, South Sudan has a GDP per capita of $251. That means each of our 12 million citizens earns, on average, about $21 per month, or just $0.70 per day. This reflects a level of poverty that affects daily survival.

Reports estimate that 80–90% of South Sudan’s population lives below the poverty line.

This is the reason why youths are resorting to Gangsterisms in towns such as Juba as we witness recently,  and rampant cattle rustling among youths in villages and cattle camps who have no other means of incomes but to take what belongs to others.

This should alarm us all. These figures are not just statistics—they reflect the real suffering of our people, and why our leaders and intellectuals must do somethings to change the direction.

The Case for Unity: One People, One Nation

In my previous articles, I explored our shared ancestry and identity using linguistic, genetic, and archaeological studies.In Part I, I demonstrated our kinship as blood brothers using scientific evidence. In  Part II, I traced our origins to the dawn of humanity, showing our deep historical connections to goes back to Ancient Nile Valley. As Dr. John Garang de Mabioronce said, the ram goes backward into the past and sprintsforward to face the challenge head-on. It is important to know your own history whether bad or good to have a strong foundation on which to build something great.

We must realise that we are not simply grouped togather by colonial borders. We are blood relatives, descendants of the same ancestors, who have lived together for thousands of years. And if we do not unite and rise together, we will fall prey to what Darwin called natural selection—where only the strong, united and adaptable survive.

As a Dinka who has lived closely with Nuer, Bari, Acholi, and Shilluk friends, I see no fundamental differences in our cultures or values. Our shared languages, customs, and values—including our joint struggle for independence—should form the foundation of national unity. This unity must be reflected in governance and development.

Look at Rwanda for inspiration—our brothers and sisters there have shown us that unity and shared vision can accelerate recovery and growth, even after conflict.

Meritocracy: Unlocking our full potential

In political philosophy, meritocracy refers to a system where positions of power and economic benefits are awarded based on ability and talent—not wealth, tribe, or class. A merit-based system restores public faith in institutions and inspires citizens to work harder, knowing that effort and excellence will be rewarded.

I believe one of the tools our leaders can use to unlock the full potential of South Sudanese is to use merit based system in hiring, promotion and giving opportunities. 

South Sudanese don’t have any fundamental limitation to develop a proposrous nation. We have all the right resources and tools to develop a nation of which we can be proud – what we need is to put the right people in the right positions.

I am sure there are many examples of hour putting right people in the right places produced great results but I have particular two I can mention here. One particular example I remember very well was that of Dr. John Gai Yoh.  In 2014, under the leadership of Dr. John Gai Yoh, then Minister of Education, Science, and Technology, over 1,000 scholarships were awarded based on merit, not tribe. It was a moment of fairness that brought hope to many.

Another excellent example is Prof. John Akec, whose leadership transformed the University of Juba and left enduring legacy. He showed what is possible when talent is placed in the right role.

Meritocracy gives hope to young people. It tells them: you are defined by your talent, not your tribe. This can inspire a generation to work hard, innovate, and lead.

According to UN report, about 70% of South Sudanese population are youth. This is a massive human resource that our leaders must tap into to develop the nation. 

As wise Chinese man once said “Give a man a fish and you fed him for a day, teach a man how to fish and you feed for a lifetime”. Teach and inspire the youth on to fish in the White Nile, and they will build a stronger and properous South Sudan. Those leaders who empower young people—who inspire them to innovate and lead—will be remembered as the true builders of South Sudan, just like Dr. John Garang, president Salva Kiir Mayardit and other leaders of the SPLM/A movement, inspired and led the masses to be the founders of South Sudan on July 9, 2011.

Conclusion: United We Stand, Divided We fall

As we celebrate another Independence Anniversary, let us not only reflect on what we escaped—but on what we must become. Let us work toward a united South Sudan, where every citizen, regardless of tribe, gender, or background, contributes to national development based on merit. This unity must be rooted in our shared ancestry, identity, and values, and guided by a shared vision for a peaceful, fair, and prosperous nation.

Let us embrace a new national slogan: One People, One Nation, One Destiny – Driven by Unity and Merit.

Happy Independence Day, South Sudan!

The writer is a South Sudanese Software Engineer and Architectbased in Germany. He majored in Sofware Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS in Malayisa. He currently works as Software Engineer and Technical Lead in Germany-based multinational IT company. He is currently working on Junub Classifieds, an upcoming online market platform for connecting buyers and sellers across South Sudan for FREE.

He can be reached at jmagany@gmail.com or via website: maboragany.com

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