03/04/2026
South Sudan Needs Women Leaders More Than Ever.
By: Thomas Makorou.
In a country still healing from the wounds of conflict, one truth continues to echo louder with each passing year: South Sudan needs women leaders now more than ever, perhaps even more than the fathers and brothers who have too often led us into cycles of division and violence.
This is not to dismiss the role of men in leadership, but to confront a painful reality. For decades, power has largely remained in the hands of men, and yet our nation has struggled to find lasting peace, unity, and prosperity. It raises a difficult but necessary question: is it time to trust a different kind of leadership?
I had a personal experience that shaped my belief in the power of women leadership. As a Master of Ceremonies, I once moderated the welcoming event for newly admitted students from Lakes State at the University of Juba. It was a proud moment, 902 young minds stepping into the country’s leading university, full of dreams and potential.
The guest of honor that day was the Right Honorable Speaker, Jemma Nunu Kumba.
In the spirit of youth and excitement, I made a light-hearted joke when inviting her to speak: “If you are happy that the most senior guest is the Speaker of Parliament, clap your hands! Honorable, if you were a girl in our generation, I would not have missed you.”
The audience laughed but what followed was remarkable.
Hon. Nunu Kumba didn’t just brush it off; she turned that moment into a powerful lesson. She responded with confidence and wisdom: “Young man, you would have faced it tough.
I never took my beauty for granted. And to my daughters here do not allow young men to play with your beauty. If he loves you, let him come home.”
That moment stayed with many of us. It was not just humor it was mentorship, dignity, and guidance wrapped in leadership. Years later, many of those young women who listened to her that day are now graduating from the University of Juba, carrying with them the wisdom she shared.
This is the kind of leadership South Sudan needs leadership that builds, nurtures, and transforms.
Yet today, we are witnessing a troubling pattern. Strong and impactful women leaders are being pushed out of government spaces. Hon. Awut Deng, who made significant contributions to improving our education system, is no longer in office.
Hon. Josephine Lagu has also been sidelined. And now, there are growing concerns about efforts to remove Hon. Nunu Kumba herself and maybe next might be Mama Nyandeng Garang de Mabior.
This is not just political reshuffling it is a step backward.
Women like Nunu Kumba are not just leaders; they are symbols of integrity, resilience, and hope. From my own experience and observation, she stands as a corruption-free leader, deeply committed to the future of South Sudan. She is a woman who prays for her people, who believes in justice, peace, and prosperity for the younger generation.
At a time when men dominate the political space, often engaging in power struggles, it is women leaders who have consistently shown a different path one of dialogue, compassion, and nation-building.
South Sudan cannot afford to silence these voices.
If we are truly serious about peace and progress, then we must not only include women in leadership we must protect, support, and elevate them. Because the future of this nation may very well depend on the leadership we have long overlooked.
Let women lead. Let South Sudan heal.
