Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan has been my temporary abode now for the last few days. I arrived here this past Tuesday on official assignment ….I got booked at the Oasis Hotel which is just by the White Nile- one of the two main tributaries of the Great Nile River.
Much of the week was uneventful with much of the focus being on work….generally trying to beat the deadlines and pretty much operating between the hotel and office.
The evenings were spent lounging by the river banks enjoying the local brew, Nile and the like while enthralling ourselves in discussions that ranged from Kenyan politics to the geopolitical scene, life in general and a bit of the office gossip.
I have now been visiting Juba for a while now and it’s interesting to see the how much this city has morphed, from a dilapidated town to a vibrant city. With run-down buildings and no infrastructure to speak of, after close to two decades of civil war, Juba and much of Southern Sudan is now rising from the ashes. The newly paved roads, expansion and rehabilitation of the national power grid and various property developments are a clear testament of this. Though much of these developments are concentrated in the capital city it is symbolic of the greater goal for the larger semi-autonomous Southern Sudan Region.
So is South Sudan’s future bright? One would hope so but the pending constitutional referendum, expected in about a year from now, threatens, as alleged in the chatter that’s doing rounds in the mass media and the market place, to destabilize the now found peace and prosperity, My prayer is that peace will hold and that this region will continually develop and not regress to the dark days of civil strife.
…..Meanwhile as I was soaking in all these issues Friday was finally upon us announcing the start of the weekend. After days of some long hours in the offices we were all looking forward for some time off. The day started out without much pomp…..right up until I met an old acquaintance, actually a former work mate, who is now based here in Juba working with an International NGO. He happened to be having his lunch at the Oasis Hotel, where we were putting up, when we met. In between enjoying the sumptuous lunch we took some time to touch base and catch up on what was happening in each of our lives. It was here that he proposed that if we were up to it he take us out for a taste of the Juba night life.
….Later that Friday night we were picked up from the Hotel off for some Juba experience. We drove in to a parking lot that clearly spelt out that this was a famous Juba night spot- Mango Night Club.
Joining pals by the banks of River Nile as we while the night away
Out enjoying the night in one of Juba’s Night Club
