#Bring Back Kalisto: Juba Residents demand MAYOR Kalisto reinstated
By Winnie Cirino
Some residents of Juba took to the streets to demand Kalisto Lado be restored as mayor following his sacking Thursday by the Central Equatoria state governor Emanuel Adil Anthony.
Lado has been serving as mayor since March this year. Many commend him for bringing order in Juba city, what most called a development of the capital.
Moses Wani was shocked by former Mayor Lado’s sacking.
“He (Kalisto Lado) has done a lot of good things; the alignment of the road, organization of the shops, people have to go where they are supposed to be, I think it is the right thing.” Wani told The Insider.
He believes breaking down shops and opening the pavements would make it easy for people to locate shops and ease revenue and tax collection.
ToMoses Rodi, Kalisto Lado’s removal makes him ‘feels sad’ for his outperformed all the previous mayors that served the people of Juba city.
“He Has managed to open roads; he has managed to organize the markets to a standard level.” Rodi commended.
Kalisto Lado was opening water channels in Juba and Rodi believes if he was given another year in office, he would do wonders.
“We are calling on the authorities of Central Equatoria (state) to bring him back.”Rodi demanded.
Despite cracking down on traders and their businesses, some businessmen and women trust Kalisto Lado was doing the right thing. They say the former mayor did a lot to ensure Juba’s streets are neat.
Makuie Arok, a resident of Thongoing says his area now looks clean and organized after the mayor cleared all shops and buildings with verandahs extending into the residential roads.
“the government should learn to embrace action oriented leaders.” Arok said.
“Kalisto should be returned back to complete his mission.”
However, as expected, some traders were relieved by Lado’s sacking.
Many blamed him for overstepping his mandate and for destroying livelihoods of people struggling to make ends meet. Mambo Steve, a trader dealing in assorted items in Juba’s Hai Thoura suburb, despises the former mayor for making life hard, something Steve says has overshadowed his achievements.
“There’re certain things he was not doing according to the policy, like charging higher taxes, increasing taxes without consulting the business people.” Steve told The Insider.
According to Steve, the Lado should have consulted the business community before hiking taxes and charging traders equally irrespective of if one is running a small, medium or a big business.
Right now everyone is charged the same, this affects the smaller and upcoming businesses.” Steve stressed.
Steve has a word for the future mayor. “Be considerate with the public!”
“There’re some decisions that can easily contribute to the fall of the country’s economy, especially if people are discouraged.” Steve said.
For James Arusi, he was not surprised by news of Kalisto Lado’s sacking. To him when Kalisto started opening roads, his chances of surviving were slim because, to him, “it has become the government’s nature to sack officials who are working to develop the country.” Arusi believes this makes leaders get in power with greed to steal rather than invest because they know they won’t have enough time in the position.
“I am not surprised that he is gone because in South Sudan’s politics, people who do something right are always pointed out, changed, and his removal comes at a time when he was trying to correct things. He must have crossed over in some places but his removal brings everything back to zero because next time if a new person is brought, he’s not going to look onto the things he (Kalisto Lado) was trying to work out.” Arusi explained enthusiastically.
45 years old Sunday Joyce, who sells water and juice along a road near the customs market, says she doesn’t care about the removal of Mayor Lado because he made life difficult for street vendors.
Joyce, who lost her husband during the civil war, says she feeds and educates her children from her small business on the streets of Juba.
“It was unfair for the former mayor to remove vendors from the streets. I’m not happy. He chased us without information. Whether they remove him or keep him, we’re not happy because he did not give us enough time.”
“They (Juba City Council authorities) just destroyed our things, they broke our tables, they poured our juice and when we were running our money got lost. We the widows are not happy with this Mayor, if he is removed it is good.” Joyce said.
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