Presidential advisor Kuol Manyang Juk has been making headlines this week after his controversial statement in Bor Jonglei State.
Kuol’s statement went viral and made him the talk of social media. His comment led to many interviews.
While speaking to Miraya FM, Kuol talked about how South Sudanese are suffering, and they are to be blamed partially for being poor.
“Our people, they don’t know the importance of Economy, they are not economically active. People are still living the traditional life. They still keep cows for prestige, and when you tell them they are poor, they fight you. These people pretend to be poor, but they are not,” Kuol said.
Speaking on being economically independent, Kuol says that many South Sudanese have wealth that they don’t want to use.
“Some of these people when come to you begging for food when they have cows. They could sell a cow and but their food,” Kuol argued.
Kuol alleges that dowry payment is one contributing factor making many youths in the country poor.
“You find somebody paying 10,20, 30 cows for marriage. A young person. Now if he takes these cows and sells them and makes business then he will not be a poor person. Let him accumulate money and 2-3 years later he can marry. But they want to marry now and remain with nothing.” Kuol elaborates. Imagine this expensive dowry, some people are paying around 300 cows. Can you call these people poor?…they can not even sell milk?
There have been cases in South Sudanese whereby some young men have been arrested after defaulting on paying the debt he borrowed to do an extravagant wedding at Freedom Hall.