Is Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth taking the people of South Sudan for Granted, or he is just a Spoiled son of the SPLM?

By: Ateny Wek Ateny

“If anybody is complaining of (high mobile tariffs), refrain from using the telephone because it is not compulsory. If you feel that you are being overcharged, you refrain from using it, and this will give us an opportunity to learn how to use the telephones because there are people who use telephones for conversation for over 1/2 or 3hrs”. (Michael Makuei Lueth).

To whom the above statement was addressed to, and whose interest was Hon. Michael Makuei protecting? Was the issue of some people having the audacity to speak on the phone for hours the cause of increasing tariffs? Who owns telephones companies, in South Sudan? If, in fact Hon. Makuei was addressing South Sudanese to whom more than 70% are youth, then how does he feel representative of the government that may one day seek the votes of those he sarcastically addressed?

It seems, Hon. Makuei is oblivious to the fact that the role of the Ministry of Information, Telecommunications & Postal Service is to regulate telephone companies, internet servers and the communication system in the country.

While the government owns Fiber Optic which transmits telephone signals, internet communication and cable television signals, the Ministry serves as regulatory body that protects the interests of the very public Hon. Makuei was not showing to them any slight respect. In that, the Ministry of Information, Telecommunications & Postal service is failing public interest.

To see Hon. Michael Makuei speaking as if, he was the representative of the telephone companies, was not only queer, but unbecoming. That statement which urged people to stop using telephones because they were not forced to, was far-fetched and wanting to say the least. Failure to regulate telephones and internet services to increase tariffs at whim has further aggravated the already poverty-stricken youths. Hon. Makuei should not joke.

Cognizant of Hon. Makuei longevity in government since 2005, I am sure he might have realized he has no match in this country. I said this when I wrote about Dr. Martin Elia Lomörö’s poor statement in the parliament which implicated the President, sometimes this year that breastfeeding a child for long is in itself an aggressive process. The same thing might be also affecting Makuei. A child that missed being weaned for any reasonable time, often thinks he/she has outsmarted his/her own parents.

Makuei and Martin Elia have overstayed in government to the point that they have forgotten how politicians who appointed can be relieved. They think the government can’t function without them. That is why they can say what the President himself has never said. Imagine, a government yearning to go for elections is telling its citizens to do without telephones in the 21st century. The telephone users in South Sudan may account to more than 60% of the total adults, of which 70% of this are youths. If we want them as our voters to come in the elections, then Makuei must learn how to smart tell them, instead of this kind of rhetoric. Makuei doesn’t own the country to think we are his mere subjects. We are citizens equal to him in front of law.

Finally, as Minister in an institution tasked to regulate telephone operators, Hon. Makuei must tell the telephone service providers to review their tariffs, particularly on internet service. The Internet anywhere in the world is nowadays the cheapest, except the countries where the likes of Makuei Lueth are the ones responsible for telephone service regulatory body.

Otherwise, if Hon. Makuei is protecting the telephone service providers, then, he must have been in the wrong place. He should resign and leave this for a South Sudanese who cares about the welfare of his fellow citizens than this spoiled Makuei. Nearly 20 years as Minister is too much, as if, he alone makes what is Bor community.

The writer is the former Press Secretary in the office of the President and the views expressed in this article are his own. He could be reached through email: atenypiokerwek@gmail.com

The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Lakes State Media are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Lakes State Media.