Dr Riek Machar, First Vice President - courtesy

Some members of the public have criticized the First Vice President for suggesting a change to the country’s name, saying he should instead focus on improving the lives of the ordinary citizens.

Last week, Dr. Riek Machar suggested that the name of the country be changed from South Sudan to the People’s Republic of Sudan.

On 23 January 2011, members of a steering committee on the post-independence governing body announced that upon independence the land would be named the Republic of South Sudan “out of familiarity and convenience”.

Other suggested names had included Nile Republic and Cush, a reference to a Biblical-era kingdom in the area.

The name decision was announced after a meeting of the top committee of the Southern Sudan’s ruling SPLM party and later approved by the transitional parliament.

However, Dr. Riek Machar argued that “South” is not a name but rather a direction.

He says debates are ongoing with the leaders and South Sudanese to adopt a suitable name for the country.

This has raised an uproar from a section of the public saying that it is not the right time to do so.

They say Dr. Riek and other leaders should first focus on the current deteriorating economic situation in the country, peace implementation and the squalid conditions of civil servants.

“This is not the right time to tell us this. We were expecting him to talk about the implementation of peace, especially the graduation of forces that is chapter two of the peace agreement,” Emmanuel from Juba said.

“He was supposed to talk about the stability of the economy.

“This proposal has no meaning, what we want now is peace and that should be the priority, peace is not being implemented in letter and spirit,” One Gatkuoth from PoC in Juba said.

“Citizens are still suffering, people are hungry, there is no security, people are dying every day and he is talking about changing the name of the country, this is not the time, let him bring security,” he said.

“Let them first make a change. It is not the right time, they have to focus on what South Sudanese need now,” David Magok from Wau said.

“As one of the leaders in this country, what is he really doing for the people of this country to improve their lives? What are they focusing on changing the name of this country?” Magok added.

South Sudan is still struggling with the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement with the parties yet to move forward on the graduation of the unified forces.

Besides, the parties are yet to accomplish certain provisions on Chapter one of the peace process especially on the establishment of institutions- both at the national and state levels.

These include formation of cluster committees at the TNLA, state parliaments, and county commissioners, among others.