Northern Bahr el-Ghazal awaits drastic parliamentary changes in 2010

By Ngor Arol Garang

December 29, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — With Christmas being official break for Christians, Southern State of Northern Bahr el Ghazal continues to witness political rallies being held on daily basis in the area prompting locals to anticipate sweeping parliamentary changes in the upcoming elections in 2010 .

Politicians who were hardly seen in the area, flocked villages with unsubstantiated promises and boring community members with tea fare and morning greetings prompting local people to ask why now?

Where were they before with this oil money, asked an ordinary citizen Deng Chier in Aweil town encouraging locals to reject no gifts from these leaders but should vote wisely?

For the first time, he said, an official who hardly sees left and right of his door to say hello to his neighbor, drove to me in my house on Monday 28, with his colleague making me becoming suspicious and asked my wife whether any member of our family has committed a crime before talking to them.

However, their visit turned out to be mere delivery of invitation message, which according him, said, a minister in his caliber, can give to any of his aides; I politely turned down an invitation prompting him to call for reconciliation the following day.

Quoting a famous proverb regularly used by Malong Diing, an intellectual in the area, said, my simple message to both candidates and supporters alike, is, “be nice to your people on your way up, you might need them on your way down”.

Asked political activities in the area, the citizen said, rallies are being held daily particularly on parliamentary seats resulting into fierce competition amongst contestants and their supporters making observers like him to foretell drastic changes in the upcoming national elections scheduled to take place in April 2010.

But, he said one thing is certain, anybody who have had an opportunity to serve during appointment, will not, unless luck with affable characters, make it this time.

Because, traditional leaders are becoming rigid trading their supports with programs as prerequisite condition aspiring candidates must give in written document.

In Aweil South County, Paramount Chief, Geng Kon Ariath, reportedly asked contestants to provide him with proposals beneficial to his community before endorsing their candidatures.

“You are all my people, best members of this community and above all you are people I have known for many years, some of you walked with me to Ethiopia and others met me there after fleeing government held towns in years leading to eighties and nineties.”

But, he further said, personal relationships, should not lead community desire to selecting individuals of their choice as representative of their affairs in any public or private institutions.

(ST)