JUBA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan said on Thursday that it is seeking 358 million U.S. dollars in funds to respond to the influx of people displaced as a result of the deadly clashes in Sudan.

Albino Akol Atak, minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, said deadly clashes that erupted in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have displaced nearly 300,000 people into South Sudan, warning that the number might increase to half a million people who will urgently need humanitarian support.

Akol said the government and humanitarian agencies set up a humanitarian pool when the crisis in Sudan started in mid-April to respond to the needs and the costs of operation.

"In the first three months, we realized that the operation (humanitarian response) would require 96 million dollars to be contributed by both partners and the government, but when we reviewed the plans recently, we realized that the operation would require up to 358 million dollars to respond to the crisis by the end of the year," he told journalists in the capital of Juba.

Akol said the influx of displaced persons as a result of the Sudan crisis compounds further the existing humanitarian catastrophe the country is already going through in which 9.4 million people were already in need of humanitarian aid, including 300,000 returnees who had voluntarily returned home from neighboring Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia as a result of relative peace. - Xinhua

A few months into office, President William Ruto’s administration was faced with several challenges as Kenyans expressed displeasure with its governance.

Governance experts however were quick to advise that the government be given time to execute its mandate, considering leadership is not an overnight thing.

What was not clear though was the amount of time the Kenya Kwanza government needed for the change and implementation of the manifesto to be adopted. 

Now into their second year in office, the tune remains the same as the cost of living is at an all-time high, making it hard for governance experts to pull the ‘more time’ card to Kenyans.

Speaking on Spice FM on Thursday, October 5, Political analyst Mark Bichachi opined that Ruto’s administration is still not sure what it is required to do even as they embark on their second year in leadership. According to Bichachi, the problem with the current administration is accountability.

“The problem is the issue of accountability because many of the projects launched are yet to be executed. Our government is good at setting goals but fail terribly at executing them,” said Bichachi.

Bichachi averred the Kenya Kwanza administration is still riding on the campaign horse forgetting that they need to step in as ‘now’ leaders.  

“There is a temptation sometimes to continue doing the things that gave you victory and with this government, they campaigned really well. The problem is Ruto is yet to understand the campaigner is different from the leader. You cannot rule by PR because leadership is all about making tough decisions.”

“Ruto is a brilliant guy, he needs to sit and execute all the plans and promises they made to Kenyans,” he said.

Reiterating Bichachi’s sentiments, Inatuhusu Movement leader and former Roots Party running mate Justina Wamae said that the government is focusing all its attention on the wrong things while ignoring those that genuinely need their attention.

According to Wamae, the president is “a political giant but a poor executor.”  She added that he is surrounded by loyalists and not performance-guided leaders.

“The role of the government is to come up with policies and facilitate a conducive environment in which businesses will thrive. However, with this government, their interest is in taking up projects that are yet to be fulfilled and rewarding loyalists who cannot perform,” said Wamae. 

Their remarks come hours after President Ruto made major changes to the Cabinet, since assuming office in 2022.

Among those affected include Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria who has now been moved to the Public Performance Ministry, a newly created ministry, and Alfred Mutua, who has been reassigned to the Tourism docket.

The changes, Ruto says were necessary so as to optimize performance and enhance delivery as set in the Kenya Kwanza’s manifesto.

However, Wamae and Bichichi maintain that what Kenya needs to enhance delivery is the execution of policies and plans and not a reshuffle. By Esther Nyambura, The Standard