Voter education kicks off in South Sudan

By Isaac Vuni

January 29, 2009 (JUBA) – The undersecretary of the ministry of parliamentary affairs, Dr. Julia Aker, said that a programme is being put together to inform women on elections, trying to reverse the past habit of women being told whom to vote for by their husbands.

There are a lot of speculations on the election about whether it will actually be held in July, as citizens wait for the electoral commission to tell them the right information.

Addressing a press conference at the assembly building today, Aker reminded participants of her experience in 1970 when southerners were working as a group of people of one nation and stood behind former President of the High Executive Council, Joseph Lagu. She noted that Lagu, who hails from a very small ethnicity, would not have been able to become president, but because of unity in diversity, southerners voted for him. But she added that later southerners instituted division of the South through the introduction of Kokora, an ideology of Equatorian separatism.

Aker added that GOSS is committed in empowering civil society and appeals to international NGOs to support and facilitate civil society programmes in Southern Sudan, especially those dealing with civic education.

Otherwise, the upcoming elections could compare to what happened in Kenya and Zimbabwe, she warned.

Dr. Julia Aker further said that the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs was mandated to oversee implementation of good governance in South Sudan; hence they suspended new recruitment in 23 ministries plus commissions until suspected nepotism by heads of particular institutions is rectified.

Asked whether Southern Sudan Radio (SSR) is reserved for the ruling SPLM party, she said that Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly has representations from eight political parties, which have equal rights over SSR, as they represent the interests of Southerners.

Meanwhile, the Director of Good Governance in Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Allophone Wani, advises Southerners not to follow what happened in Kenya’s election of 2007, where results were rigged and over 1000 people killed, then Kofi Annan negotiated with the ruling government and opposition groups within 41 days. Wani urges Sudanese to free themselves from adopting such election violence.

Dr. Charles Anyama, a former diploma in Kenya’s government, said that civil society organizations are always being look on with suspicion by ruling governments.

Hon Dr. Tobi Madut noted that Sudanese, especially southerners, are going to conduct election at very difficult time after undergoing 22 years of bitter war and that if election is held in June this year, most people would remain uninformed because the south has a problem with media coverage that does not reach many people for ensuring a fair and free election.

Hon. Martin Aligo Abe wondered why NIF (National Islamic Front) and GOSS failed to adhere to the time table spelled out in the CPA. Without this, he warned, there is no conducive environment for conducting a free and fair election in South Sudan.

Abe then challenged the government to open room for competent southern Sudanese who are now returning to their own home, rather than recruiting foreigners, and he emphasized that bad governance practices must be eradicate in order to unite southerners.

Hon. Paulino Apiny said that Media belong to citizens and therefore they have to closely work with MPs in informing and disseminating information on the coming national election.

(ST)