Yesterday morning, I woke up and checked my Facebook page to update myself on the current situation through social media. I discovered that my internet subscription had expired and decided to renew it. However, I was shocked to find that internet tariffs had increased by approximately 15 percent. There was little I could do except pay the new price.
The question that immediately came to my mind was: why have telecommunications companies such as MTN and Zain increased internet subscription prices so significantly in South Sudan at a time when our economy is already struggling?
The economic situation facing ordinary South Sudanese is extremely difficult. Civil servants and organized forces continue to face challenges with salaries and other economic hardships, while the cost of living continues to rise. Under such circumstances, an increase in the price of internet services places an additional burden on citizens who are already struggling to survive.
The recent increase in internet bundles and communication services raises serious questions about the role of the Ministry of Information, Communications and Postal Services and, specifically, the minister.
The sudden increase also reminded me of an article previously written by Hon. Ateny Wek Ateny, who was then the Press Secretary in the Office of the President and is now the Minister of Information, Communications and Postal Services and government spokesperson. In that article, he criticized his predecessor, Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth, asking whether the latter was taking the people of South Sudan for granted or had become a “spoiled son of the SPLM.”
Now the question is: what has changed since Ateny took over the ministry?
When Ateny criticized his predecessor, the public naturally expected that he would perform differently if given the opportunity to lead the ministry. Today, he occupies the same position that he once criticized, and therefore his own performance must also be subjected to public scrutiny.
The sudden increase in internet tariffs is one area where the minister needs to speak clearly.
Why did the tariffs increase? Who approved the increase? What discussions took place between the government and telecommunications companies? Does the ministry have mechanisms to regulate telecommunications tariffs and protect consumers? And what is the government’s position on the affordability of internet services?
These are not unreasonable questions. They are questions that citizens have the right to ask.
Instead of remaining silent, Minister Ateny Wek should explain the government’s position to the public. If the increase is justified by legitimate operational costs or other economic factors, the ministry should explain this transparently. If the increase is excessive, the government should engage the telecommunications companies and consider appropriate measures to protect consumers.
MTN and Zain, like any companies operating in South Sudan, have a responsibility to operate within the country’s laws and regulations. At the same time, the government has a responsibility to ensure that essential communication services remain accessible and affordable to the population.
Some of us expected Ateny to move quickly to introduce reforms within the ministry, particularly in areas affecting ordinary citizens. Internet access has become an essential part of modern life. Students depend on it for education, businesses use it to operate, journalists rely on it to report, and citizens use it to communicate with relatives and access information.
Therefore, the minister cannot afford to treat the issue as though it does not concern him.
I am not accusing Minister Ateny personally of benefiting from the increase in internet tariffs without evidence. However, the silence from the ministry inevitably creates questions among citizens. If the government has no role in approving the increase, then it should say so publicly. If the ministry has regulatory authority, then the public expects it to exercise that authority in the public interest.
This is where Ateny’s previous criticism of his predecessor becomes relevant. If he believed that Makuei Lueth was failing to serve the public, then he must demonstrate that his own leadership is different.
The people of South Sudan do not need ministers who only speak when criticizing their predecessors. They need ministers who speak when citizens face real problems.
I therefore call upon Minister Ateny Wek to address the public and explain the recent increase in internet tariffs. The government must make its position clear, and telecommunications companies should be required to justify significant tariff increases transparently.
The people of South Sudan are already facing enormous economic difficulties. Adding expensive internet services to their burden without a clear explanation is unacceptable.
Ultimately, the question is not merely whether Hon. Ateny Wek Ateny has failed. The more important question is whether he has forgotten the standards of accountability he once demanded from his predecessor—or whether, as some citizens may fear, he has simply joined the “dining table” of a political system that has failed to put the interests of ordinary South Sudanese first.
The writer is a member of the SPLM-IO Political Bureau and former Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, Aweil. He can be reached at Majokdit2024@gmail.com.
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.
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