29/07/2026
The Analysis of 21 Years Later: South Sudan
Without Dr. John Garang de Mabior
30 July 2026
By Dr Gabriel G. D. Deng, PhD
On 30 July 2005, Southern Sudan was perceived to have lost its compass due to death of Dr. John Garang de Mabior . His death was viewed by many Sudanese under marginalisation of the Khartoum regime as that of Prophet Moses.
The death, 21 years ago caught Southerners with shock but found comfort in the SPLM's well-defined guerrilla's Leadership structure and memories of Dr John Garang's Rumbek prophetic handing over of SPLM's Mantle to Cde Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Joshua whose unflinched obedience to SPLM/A Chairman for 21 years made Leadership environment conducive for succession.
His death today, just six months after signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement made it impossible for him to live to see the flag raised on 9 July 2011.
His successor, H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, took the movement forward and led South Sudanese to independence, the land of Canan, his obedience and loyalty made it easy to triumphant to Garang replacement.
A lot has happened in Dr. Garang’s absence.
Dr Garang’s vision was not just separation, It was a New Sudan supposed to be built on justice, equality, and service delivery which were meant to be determining factors of unity of Sudan.
The CPA gave us 6 years to prepare institutions and basic services such as schools, hospitals, and an economy beyond oil. The hope was that independence would be the beginning of nation-building, not the end of struggle.
The Reality of 21 Years Later,
Since 2011, we have achieved the impossible, a country of our own but we have also paid a heavy price.
We have fought among ourselves leading to massive displacement of millions of people from their homesteads, we have built a state that depends on oil, while classrooms, clinics, and roads remain unfinished.
We have many graduates without employment because their opportunities went to Foreign workers due to lack of labour market regulation, public sector budgets without audits, many agreements signed to end our men made conflicts, but trust still missing.This is not to erase independence happiness, It is to ask whether the Father of the nation would be happy if our state of the nation is brought to his attention.
Two Leaders with One Journey,
the Father of the Nation who gave us the idea that we could govern ourselves with dignity and
the Founding Father who delivered the referendum and raised the flag for our independence South Sudan.
The two leaders are under test for their legacies as to whether they have built the nation they imagined.
We must allow the following to happen now, at 21 Years
1.Return to the CPA Spirit Accountability, federalism, and power-sharing were not slogans, they were tools to hold a diverse nation together.
2.Fix the Basics To audit public money to ascertain the prudent use of public resources, fund the basics services.
3. Restore Trust, let's build the independence of Institutions, free from Executive arm of government
4. Honor Garang by Delivering the best memorial for Dr John Garang is not a statue being guarded 24 hours, It is a school that works, a hospital with drugs, and a job for unemployed graduates
Lastly, 21 years without Garang and 15 years with independence gave us the country and now we need the nation.
Dr. Garang gave us the struggle but President Kiir gave us the state. The rest of the work belongs to all south Sudanese to run the country that is free of corruption, nepotism, unemployment and to exercise the Rule of Law
On this 30th of July 2026, let us stop asking who failed us, and start asking what our Founding Father has planned for the country to the next 21 years.
May the Father of the Nation continue to rest in peace & may the Founding Father and all of us finish the work.
The Author is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Upper Nile University and the views expressed here are his personal analytical views
