Lakes state’s SPLM announce elections committee but face money trouble

By Manyang Mayom

June 24, 2009 (RUMBEK) — South Sudan’s ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), has released the names of its election campaign management committee, sub-committees, and strategy and planning committee on Tuesday although the party is said to face financial difficulties to launch its campaign and disseminate awareness about the election to the grassroots levels in the state.

The Lakes state chairman of Elections Campaign Strategy Committee (LSECSC), Philip Marol Mading, presented his committee’s official procedure paperwork on Monday at the headquarters of the SPLM’s state secretariat in Rumbek SPLM hall in a forum attended by the SPLM assistant secretary, county secretariats, Payam secretariats, Boma secretariats and Lakes state Secretary Samuel Mathiang Keer, as well as members of the SPLM women’s league plus SPLM youth league.

Pursuant to the SPLM Chairman’s order no. 1/2009 on the formation of the SPLM National Election Strategy Committee (NESC) and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) provisions, the 25 members of SPLM State Election Strategy Committee (SESC) were distributed according to the former Greater Districts of Rumbek and Yirol to ensure equal representation and effectiveness of the committee.

The committee had been formed early in May 2009 with the task of planning to contest elections in all eight counties, 69 payams and 150 bomas of the state.

Nevertheless, initiative scheduled to be launched by June 21 in Rumbek Central County for the County Campaign Management Teams (CCMT) was postponed.

SPLM Lakes state secretary Samuel Mathiang said that the success of SPLM party at the grassroots levels in Lakes state is in the hands of SPLM secretariats down to the Bomas who will nominate a candidate in any position to be contested.

Mr. Mading affirmed that officials at the launching had been stunned by the lack of financial support, while a Lakes state official from governor’s office said that the party will collect its resources through ministries’ directors, lawmakers in Lakes state parliament using the SPLM ticket, and party support through cuts in pay.

He added that due to Radio Rumbek 98 having been off-air, SPLM party in Lakes state has returned to square one in communication. The technical failure to Radio Rumbek’s transmitter came at the wrong time, prompting discussion of investigations. According to remarks by the Radio Director, the station could be off air for 45 days.

(ST)