South Sudan’s Growing Crisis: When the Nation Turns Against Its Builders
By Ahmed Deng Mohammed
The Unjust Detention of Akol E. Ayii Signals a Dangerous Precedent, In fragile nations, progress often hinges on the courage of a few individuals those who choose hope over fear, who stay when others flee, and who work tirelessly to rebuild a broken system.
In South Sudan, Akol E. Ayii exemplifies such a patriot. He is not a politician, nor a war profiteer. He is a builder, someone who invested his own resources, vision, and dedication into restoring his country from the ground up.
Today, he is behind bars. Without charges. Without transparency. Without justice.
This is more than a personal tragedy; it is a stark warning to the nation. South Sudan is seemingly turning against those who genuinely seek to save and develop it.
Akol chose the difficult path, he could have moved his wealth abroad or sought comfort elsewhere. Instead, he stayed, invested, employed, and gave back to his community. His efforts have left a tangible legacy:
– Electrification in Wau, boosting trade, education, and household welfare
– Direct employment of over 300 South Sudanese, with thousands more benefiting indirectly
– Support for Juba Teaching Hospital, improving critical healthcare services
– Funding for education by paying school fees for children across the country
– Assistance to vulnerable groups, including women-led businesses and mothers of triplets, through medical coverage and monthly stipends
This is not someone who looted the state. It is someone who built what the government had failed to deliver.
Now, he is detained without explanation. Where is the due process? Where is the transparency? Where is the justice for someone who dedicated so much to his country?
Akol’s family has broken their silence, calling on national leaders from the President to the judiciary to release him immediately or to publicly justify his detention. Their plea underscores a crucial point: silence is not only an insult to Akol but an affront to every citizen striving to succeed legally and honestly, without political protection.
If builders like Akol E. Ayii are not safe, who will be? If we do not protect those who create opportunity, who will remain to build our future?
This is a moment of reckoning. We face a choice: do we foster a nation that rewards courage and enterprise or one that destroys its foundation out of fear, jealousy, and silence?
The eyes of the people are watching. History will remember those who stood up for justice and those who stayed silent in the face of injustice.
#JusticeForAkolEayii #ProtectOurBuilders #SouthSudanMustRise #ReleaseAkolNow
