Let’s defend our political titles

By Atok Dan Baguoot. 

In a nation where titles are shared, the only person robbed of the prestige is the president. Today in Southern Sudan, titles are shared regardless of the positions and rank a person holds. In many countries, only the president, vice president, ambassadors, and other few dignitaries deserve the title of “His Excellence” normally abbreviated as H.E. In our case, almost every dignitary carries that title but the funny thing here is that an outsider could wonder what specific title to use when addressing a boss in his/her office. 

Ministers share the same title of H.E. with the president, vice president, ambassadors as well as County Commissioners and head of independent Commissions. In Southern Sudan, president, his vice president and ambassadors are robbed of that title of H.E. It is a country of excellence performers. 

The philosophical concept behind the use of such titles is associated with its acquisitions. You earn a title or acquire it through recognition from a respected institution. For instance, the title honorable is derived from the academic title honorary, and his excellence also originated from the nursery school concept of motivating young kids to concentrate on their studies. 

Whenever a child gets some good marks, the tutor has to reward that child with that title in order to make him/her do much and also to motivate other kids who might have not gotten it to do the same. Some teachers do stick a yellowish shine decorated cartoon-like structure in an exercise book of that kid who has done well and if it is seen by others, they all strive hard to get that too. 

Nevertheless, these titles are accorded in same manner. A president and his vice deserve that title because after being preferred as the only persons to head a nation out of many who competed for the post, only one person is opted for by the whole majority therefore, he/she becomes H.E like a kid who has gotten the required marks proposed by the teacher. 

An Ambassador also qualifies for the title simply because he represents his nation in a foreign country alone out of the many that would have done too. In a country where leaders rise to high leadership position through other means apart from democratic elections, the title becomes imposed. South Sudan is not exceptional and whoever carries that title does so because of either historical background of liberation struggle or any other equivalent means. 

The President of the government of Southern Sudan and his vice also became suited to the title because of their struggling backgrounds. Life in the bush was unbearable and many didn’t dare to withstand the hardship hence, they deserve it too. But not all deserve it also because it becomes monotony and as a result it would either sound like mere mockery instead of decent and respectful address, besides it distinctive use. The title Honorable is commonly used in the like situation derived from the competition though it has definite distinction where it can also suit the bearer. 

Apart from it being an academic title, a member of parliament can also have it before his/her name to signify how he acquired the title MP. A Member of Parliament competes with the rest in order to win the interest of the constituency to become their representative in the parliament. Without that subjectivity, you cannot be honoured with the title but unless there is a dictate signifying the use. 

Our current MPs have that condition qualifying them for the title. But the question next door is that as their constitutional term expires, will they retain it or fresh mandate is needed from them? The term is so comfortable that one always wishes to have it up to the last day to the grave or world where there is no title, not even academic doctorate. 

For those religious, a saint is a title that people scramble although it is left in the cemetery with white clothes a dead body is draped. That is the fact about the world of true equality. Let’s go for free and fair elections so that we continue using our distinguished titles without complains, otherwise, they won’t make meaning. Our president spoke nicely in Monday’s peaceful demonstration telling the public that the registration exercise was peaceful and this signifies peaceful elections. This message went to those who had in the back of their minds to retain their titles in dishonest manner. 

The only person who knows how tough to run a government where almost everybody is appointed is the President. He said he is tired of answering phone calls instructing him to remove any of his legislators and governors every now and then. H.E. President Mayardit said he will be relieved from answering phone asking him to remove a leader if all leaders are elected by their own people. Not even a fool will dare call Mr. President to remove anybody if all are democratically elected. 

It would also be a chance for those fearing the weight of their titles to lift them lighter. Honorable will be truer and unconditionally imposed. As the constitutional term of our MPs expires, it would be very difficult for the President to form another parliament without elections because deriving to criteria for selecting the next incumbents of the August House would prove tough. For instance, if H.E. the President goes for Mr. Atok Dan to be the next honorable for Parieng County in juba parliament, in his mind will be the criterion of getting me out of that one hundred thousand population of Panaruu Dinka.

This personal question will also transcend in the minds of local persons deep in the village asking the president the same question how he got that person whom we hate most again. By the way I like the prefix honorable but the question lingering in my mind is that, do I have what it takes to be so before I reach them the “barometers” who will gauge my performances? 

This is the question that keeps away most of our current MPs from their constituencies. Those rating zero in their constituencies will never even think of uttering even a mere negative political rhetoric before their populace and thus, they either prefer a unilateral declaration of the independence of the South to a peaceful referendum or a magical shortcut to a referendum without elections so that by God’s luck they continue enjoying their tenant without disturbances yet not knowing that the whole South wants elections because of them. 

A president can run a nation with his cabinet plus the effort from security forces but for the sake of accountability and proximity of power to the people, an answerable parliament ought to be so that power is closer to the people in a devolved manner so that it links the people with the further center. Lastly, let’s quench our bloody thirst by instituting an answerable system which our kids and generations would be proud of before historians could settle with their facts as history does not forgive. Be careful of reckless utterances otherwise our intuition tones dance in compliance with whatever we speak.