South Sudan’s Politics Must Stop Eating Its Own Future: Why Internal Power Struggles Threaten the Nation’s Survival
Subheading: As South Sudan prepares for the 2026 elections, a dangerous political habit—turning against its own institutions and citizens—risks undermining reforms, stability, and the country’s future.
“A hungry hyena will first claim its cub smells like a goat, then consume it.”
This striking proverb captures a troubling pattern in South Sudan’s political culture: when leaders feel threatened, they often turn inward—blaming, weakening, or even sacrificing the very institutions and people they are entrusted to protect.
At a time when the country is navigating fragile reforms and preparing for the 2026 elections, this political instinct is not only self‑destructive—it is dangerous.
When political pressure rises, the quickest escape route is often to manufacture an enemy. Instead of confronting economic hardship, governance failures, or gaps in public accountability, blame is shifted onto internal rivals, civil servants, or even entire communities.
Like the hungry hyena, leaders create justifications to disguise harmful decisions. A disagreement becomes an act of defiance. A call for reform becomes a threat. Constructive criticism is recast as “destabilization.”
This behavior weakens the nation from within. Political parties fracture, government institutions clash, and citizens lose confidence in a system that appears more interested in political survival than public service.
Every time political actors undermine their own institutions, they erode the trust needed to govern effectively. Young people lose hope. Talented civil servants withdraw. Communities retreat into fear and silence.
In the end, the political class is not consuming its critics—it is consuming the country’s future.
South Sudan does not need leaders who resemble hungry hyenas. It needs leaders who protect their cubs—leaders who strengthen institutions, encourage accountability, tolerate dissent, and prioritize citizens over short‑term political survival.
As the nation moves toward a critical election period, the message could not be clearer:
South Sudan cannot afford political habits that sacrifice the future in order to survive the present.
A stable nation cannot be built by consuming its own.
Author Bio
Abraham Madit Majak is a South Sudanese writer and commentator focusing on governance, peace processes, and civic accountability. He contributes regularly to discussions on South Sudan’s political transition, the role of institutions, and the responsibilities of leadership during critical reform periods.
