African bookeristas continue to discuss the world's newest nation:
Uganda: Andrew Mwenda: "Uganda Must Watch Out For Sudanese Retaliation"
The Ugandan libertarian journalist argues that Sudan doesn't want to see the evolution of an effective state in South Sudan, which could impact neighboring Uganda's national security: "Yet whatever Khartoum [capital city of Sudan] will do to undermine the evolution of a stable regime in the south will inevitably drag Uganda, a major ally of South Sudan, into the conflict. For example, it can decide to attack the south directly (which it seems to be doing in Abyei). Yet this will bring the wrath of the international community on its head. So the best option for Khartoum is to ferment conflict between the different factions within the SPLA – like pitting President Salva Kiir against Vice President Riek Machar."
He continues: "Therefore Kampala needs to project a military posture that can deter Khartoum from any undertaking that threatens Uganda. The essence of any military strategy is never to fight a war but to deter or scare potential adversaries from begging a fight against you. I suspect that this may have been [Ugandan President Yoweri] Museveni’s (and his advisors if they really advise him) thinking when he went on an expensive jet shopping spree. It would be silly at best, irresponsible at worst, to either ignore this potential threat or to assume it does not exist."
Uganda/Kenya: Charles Onyango-Obbo: "One Day, The Big Men In South Sudan Will Call All The Shots"
The Ugandan-born moderate journalist in Kenya zeroes in on South Sudan's future impact on the East African Community: "South Sudan might totally upset the applecart. At 582,650 square kilometres in area, Kenya is the EAC’s second largest country after Tanzania. South Sudan, at around 619,000 square kilometres will knock it back into third place. Apart from its oil, there is one area where South Sudan could be truly East African king: For example, where only 30 per cent of Kenya’s land is arable, South Sudan has a mind-blowing 80 per cent arable land (with a population of only 8 million). One day, whether many East Africans eat or not could well depend on the mood of the Big Men in Juba [capital of South Sudan]. And their mood in turn could depend on how much the EAC is an image of its rookie members, rather than that of its ageing veterans."
South Sudan Independence: Bookerista Perspectives
