By Lodu William Odiya
A candidate seeking the governorship of Central Equatoria State, Hastin Yokwe Anisio, has blamed poor state leadership and economic difficulties for declining public services and stalled development, pledging to prioritise peace, employment, and healthcare if elected.
In a campaign speech, the candidate said the country’s economic challenges, linked partly to insecurity in neighbouring Sudan and instability in the Gulf region, had affected South Sudan’s oil-dependent economy.
“And as your governor, I have a direction to take you to. My vision for you is peace, unity, and prosperity. And to get there, I have to develop the capacity of our civil service so that they can effectively deliver services to our people,” Yokwe stated.
The candidate argued that the situation had been worsened by what they described as poor leadership in Central Equatoria, contributing to declining service delivery and stagnating development.
“Today I stand before you not only to declare a political ambition but also to declare my candidacy for the governance of Central Equatoria State to offer our citizens a new chapter of service at this difficult moment,” the candidate said.
The candidate said the forthcoming election would allow voters to decide whether to maintain the existing leadership or pursue a different approach to governance.
“This election matters because you have to make a choice for somebody who will stand with you, who will not use our diversity to divide us but cherish our diversity as a foundation for the unity of this state and, by extension, the unity of the country.”
The speech presented the election as a choice between continuing with the current situation and electing a leader capable of improving public services, promoting development, and addressing unemployment.
Yokwe also identified the welfare of young people as a major concern, arguing that the state needed leadership capable of creating opportunities for employment and reducing the pressures forcing citizens to leave their homes.
He further pledged to promote unity and peaceful coexistence, saying the state’s ethnic and cultural diversity should be treated as a foundation for unity rather than a source of division.
“My vision for you is peace, unity, and prosperity,” the candidate said, adding that strengthening the capacity of the civil service would be central to improving service delivery.
According to Yokwe, public institutions were operating at their limits but lacked sufficient capacity to provide services effectively.
In healthcare, he proposed establishing minimum standards for health services across the state, including public hospitals, primary healthcare services, and primary healthcare units.
Yokwe said the proposed standards would provide a framework to improve the availability and quality of healthcare services for residents across Central Equatoria.
However, he did not specify the proposed funding arrangements, implementation timelines, or the resources required to meet these commitments.
Central Equatoria, which hosts Juba, the national capital, faces considerable pressure to improve public services, expand employment opportunities, and address the needs of communities affected by insecurity and displacement.
Yokwe urged voters to make their decision based on the type of leadership they believed could address these challenges, presenting the election as an opportunity to determine the state’s future direction.