Experiences of a Female Chief
Interview by Skye Wheeler
YEI, Sudan, June 29, (Gurtong) - Rose Karaba from the Abukaya nationality or
ethnic group is unique at the chief’s conference being held this week
in Yei. The conference has the aim of creating a council of chiefs for the state
and Karaba sees no reason why she should not be elected on to the executive
committee even though she’s the only woman who will be included in the
wider council this time around.
‘I am not the only woman chief in Central Equatoria State, but they are
not here today, as many of the chiefs are not here. There are at least nine
of us. The Kakwa have women chiefs, the Bari and the Pojulu have. I think there
are also headmen who are women – but I do not know how many of them.
‘Why are there suddenly nine women chiefs? The world is changing and
people are now developing.
‘My ancestors were chiefs. It comes up to my time now. It has been continuous.
But the ancestors were all men; I am the first woman chief.
‘But I was active during meetings and I used to participate so my community
elected me; my brothers were careless they didn’t even always come.
‘I don’t know about other states, what their systems are. In Central
Equatoria we will be giving 25 per cent for women for all work since the peace,
women for chiefs should also be given that percentage.
‘I never thought I could be chief, I was shocked. I want more women to
be chiefs. Now we’re going to look for those who are really educated and
clever to do the work. They don’t have to have ancestors who are chiefs,
but these ones we will also look for.
‘I don’t think it is harder to be a female chief than male one.
They give me praise for my work in fact, for being a woman.
‘But there are some court cases that are complex; I then have to share
the information with others. But I am able to do many cases alone, especially
women’s problems. Most of the problems are between the husband and wife,
because the husband does not support the family. I advise the women to be sober,
not to take it all in a hurry, let them be patient and I also advise men to
take responsibility even with what little they can generate.
‘I can shame men more easily because I am a woman.
‘I make my money from being a farmer, the government does not pay me
anything and I have children also. I have to find time for farming and being
a chief – I have a day in the week we have a timetable, we have three
or four chiefs. In my one day I deal with maybe three or four court cases.
‘This is not the way it used to be, this is the arrangement we have so
we have time, this is modern so we can live.’
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