Democratic Leadership and Good Governance
The SDP shall promote participative style of leadership, in which the people of South Sudan shall take a more participative role in the decision-making process. Everyone will be given the opportunity to participate, ideas are exchanged freely and discussion is encouraged. The SDP style of leadership will be based on the principle of equality and the free of ideas, aiming for effective and efficient leadership. The Sunrise Democratic Party government will be led by people who are:
Egalitarian.
Fair-minded.
Adaptive.
Engaged with the stakeholders.
Role models.
Forward-thinking.
Team-oriented.
Goal-oriented.
Consensus builders.
SDP understands that it would be difficult for any government to accomplish its goals without the active participation of the stakeholders such as:
Active constituent members, such as the youth, women and traditional chiefs.
Concerned parents of a student at school.
Business organisations.
Civil society organisations, etc.
Heath professionals.
People in the education sector.
The SDP believes that democracy is the best way of ensuring: wide political participation in national affairs; broad- based political participation in the selection of leaders; respect for civil and political liberties; transparency and accountability in the running of national affairs; and adherence to the Rule of Law.
The Sunrise Democratic Party is committed to democracy and good governance. We shall be operating within a framework of democracy and good governance anchored on people-centred and people driven decision-making structures that extend from the grassroots to the national leadership. We shall observe and adhere to the following tenets:
Separation of Powers: The SDP shall remain committed to the principle of checks and balances among the three branches of government; Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. .
Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law: The doctrine of Constitutionalism requires that both the governors and the governed observe and uphold the Rule of Law and that laws evolve to meet the demands of a dynamic society and reflect the will of the people. In line with this doctrine, the SDP shall implement legal reforms aimed at addressing issues and challenges regarding democracy, good governance and the Rule of Law.
Justice for All: The SDP believes that people must have easy access to justice. In this regard the SDP Government shall work towards providing adequate court infrastructure for all the county and state courts. There shall be a local court and judge in every county and a high court in every state. The Judiciary shall be provided with electronic management system to link all institutions in the justice system for easy flow and management of cases.
Conduct of Elections and the Independence of the Electoral Commission: The SDP is committed to the holding of legal, free and fair national and local elections. It shall uphold the independence of the Electoral and Boundary Commission of South Sudan and provides the best modern electoral infrastructure for the advancement of democracy.
Principle of Political Pluralism: The SDP strives for South Sudan to become a true multi-party democracy. SDP believes in the freedom to form political parties and existence of organised oppositions for vibrant democracy to flourish.
Commitment to Decentralization: The SDP believes that states and counties are the centres of development and service delivery to the people. Therefore, the state parliaments and county councils will be the engine of all decentralized activities. More power will be devolved from the central government in Juba to the states and counties, making it possible for the people to participate in decision-making at the local level, to achieve taking towns to people. The SDP shall empower county and town councils, to improve the management and efficiency of counties and the state capital cities.
Public Service Reform: The SDP shall be committed to improving public service systems, by stamping out corruption and removing inefficiencies, as well as employing qualified public service officials for better performance in the public sector. The Sunrise Democratic Party shall also improve efficiency and effectiveness in the public service through regular training, monitoring and evaluation of performance.
Partnership with the Faith Groups: The SDP recognizes the religious sectors as key partners in promotion of peace, unity and stability. The faith groups can also play a pivotal role in the provision of education, health and community services in the society. The SDP will also work in partnership with religious of all denominations in the promotion of national values that will enhance peace and cohesion in the society.
Partnership with Traditional Leaders: The SDP recognizes traditional leaders as strategic partners in engendering, promoting and sustaining national unity in the society. The role of the traditional chiefs in maintaining peace and
unity is very crucial as the SDP recognizes them as the true representatives of their people, accessible, respected and legitimate and therefore essential in running the country.
Enhancement of Media and Press Freedom: The SDP acknowledges that the media, both print and electronic, are important contributors to democratic processes and good governance. The SDP is fully committed to promoting and enhancing media freedom and independence, the protection of media personnel from harassment, and allowing for self-regulation among media practitioners and media institutions.
Cooperation with Civil Society Organizations: The SDP recognizes Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as key players in inculcating a culture of democratic behaviour, good citizenship and promoting development among citizens and particularly the marginalized. The SDP is fully committed to providing an enabling environment for the operations of CSOs.
Appropriate and ethical use of public resources: All public resources and funds must be used for, or in support of, the delivery of public services. This is true regardless of whether resources are provided through the State or Central government budgets, or sourced through user charging, fundraising, or donations. The SDP shall be guided by the following principles in the management of public resources and funds:
The SDP Public Service Code of Conduct and the Standard of Practice require us to abide by four principles:
Integrity and impartiality; resources must only be used for official purposes and the procurement policies and practices must be followed.
Promoting the public good; expenditure must represent the best use of public resources to achieve the desired objective.
Accountability and transparency; expenditure must be properly authorised, and provide an audit trail of that authorisation.