Western Equatoria State Governor Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa has defended his administration’s approach to political power-sharing, saying equitable representation of counties and political groups is essential to strengthening unity, state ownership and development.
Governor Rimbasa made the remarks during a Sunday worship service at the Munuki Moru Congregation in Juba, where he addressed members of the congregation on his government’s approach to distributing political responsibilities across Western Equatoria State.
The governor said his administration had deliberately sought to ensure that communities from different parts of the state have a stake in government, arguing that no county or political group should feel excluded from the management of state affairs.
“When I was appointed, I said I must divide the Western Equatoria State cake equitably,” Rimbasa told the congregation.
He said the principle had guided his administration in allocating ministerial and other senior political positions among the counties of Western Equatoria.
“As I speak here today, all the ministers in the state are distributed equally in all the counties of Western Equatoria State,” he said.
Rimbasa also pointed to the inclusion of political actors from outside his own party as evidence of his commitment to an inclusive administration.
He highlighted the position of the Deputy Governor, who, according to Rimbasa, comes from another political party.
The governor said accommodating political differences within the state leadership was intended to demonstrate that governance should not be based solely on party affiliation.
“When I became the Governor of Western Equatoria State, of course, the Deputy Governor is from another party,” he said.
The remarks come as South Sudan approaches the December 2026 general elections, placing greater attention on political participation, representation and the ability of political actors to work across party lines.
Rimbasa’s emphasis on cross-party inclusion presents his administration’s power-sharing approach as an attempt to give different political constituencies a sense of participation in the governance of the state.
The governor also cited his decision to allocate the speakership of the Western Equatoria State Legislative Assembly to a representative from Greater Mundri as another example of his efforts to promote balanced political representation.
He said the decision was made deliberately to ensure that Greater Mundri and other communities see themselves reflected in the state’s leadership structures.
“I did this so that we can see ourselves equally in power,” Rimbasa said.
The statement underscores the governor’s argument that political inclusion is not simply about appointing individuals to positions, but about ensuring that different geographical areas and political constituencies feel that they have a meaningful stake in the state government.
For a state with diverse communities and counties, the governor said, balanced representation can help reduce perceptions of exclusion and strengthen cooperation between communities and government.
Rimbasa linked political inclusion directly to development, arguing that people are more likely to participate in building their state when they feel represented in its institutions.
He said equitable distribution of political responsibilities could create a stronger sense of collective ownership among the people of Western Equatoria.
“With this distribution, we will have the ownership of the state and contribute intensively to its development,” Governor Rimbasa said.
His argument places political representation within a broader governance question: how to ensure that communities do not view government as belonging to a particular county, political party or group, but as an institution serving the entire state.
The governor’s remarks suggest that his administration sees inclusive leadership as a foundation for mobilizing communities behind development programmes and state-building efforts.
The governor’s message also comes against the backdrop of continuing efforts across South Sudan to strengthen political cooperation and peaceful participation ahead of the elections.
At the state level, Rimbasa said equitable representation could help strengthen relationships among Western Equatoria’s counties and political groups by ensuring that communities feel included rather than marginalized.
He maintained that distributing responsibilities fairly could contribute to a stronger sense of unity and shared responsibility for the future of the state.
The approach, according to the governor, is intended to move political competition away from perceptions of winner-takes-all politics and toward broader participation.
However, the effectiveness of such a model will ultimately depend not only on the geographical distribution of positions but also on the ability of government institutions to deliver services, maintain accountability and ensure that communities experience meaningful benefits from their representation.
With national elections scheduled for December, Rimbasa’s remarks also carry a wider political message about the importance of inclusion in South Sudan’s evolving democratic process.
The governor’s emphasis on accommodating different parties and counties comes at a time when political actors across the country are expected to demonstrate their commitment to peaceful political participation.
For Western Equatoria, where communities are spread across several counties with distinct local interests, ensuring that citizens feel represented could be important to maintaining political stability and encouraging participation in governance.
Rimbasa said his administration’s approach was ultimately about making every community feel that it belongs to the state and has a role in shaping its future.
The governor’s central message was that political representation should translate into collective ownership, with communities working together rather than competing over access to power.
As Western Equatoria prepares for the next phase of South Sudan’s political transition, the debate over equitable representation is likely to remain an important part of discussions about governance, unity and development in the state.
