Lakes SPLM 7-day campaign ends in Greater Yirol

By Manyang Mayom

March 21, 2010 (RUMBEK) — The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has completed its seven day election campaign phase in Greater Yirol on Saturday in Lakes state at Mapuordit and Agany Payam of Yirol West County.

SPLM governor candidate Engineer Chol Tong Mayay held seven rallies in three counties comprised of Awerial, Yirol East County and Yirol West County within only seven days targeting thousands of voters.

At the rallies, 29 first class bulls were slaughtered by community leaders showing that they welcome the SPLM governor candidate, who was accompanied by parliamentary candidates for the various levels of government.

Traditional dances were performed and three top musicians were escorting the campaign team: Nyankol Mathiang, Marial Awuok Til and David Pacong. It was the their first time to appear in the remote areas of Lakes state.

On Saturday two rallies were held in Mapuordit and Agang payams of Yirol West County.

Chol’s key speaking points were: security; sustainability; development; freedom; brighter future for youth, widows, orphans, and disabled; rural development; healthcare; and electricity as well as water points to be dig in all eight counties of Lakes state; good governance and ending corruption.

Paramount Chief Madit Maker, speaking in Agang rally, endorsed SPLM’s presidential candidate Yasir Arman saying that “yes, he is Arab by colour but his heart is full black” and noting that the incumbent President Omar Al Bashir “spent a lot of years in power but we just benefited only nothing from his ruling – we just witnessed death in all corners of the Sudan”.

“There are stupid people accusing Mapuordit payam that we are not loyal to SPLM party – this is pure lie – we are fully SPLM supporters and polling day will tell you what to be believed – now Cde Chol is our governor 100% and we as a community of this payam must cast out votes for him and this is a promise,” said the paramount chief.

The chief noted that the payam during the war contributed manpower and cows to support the liberation struggle, and now it is the last step to cross the bridge into New Sudan with SPLM as driver.

In Agany rally on the same Saturday, Paramount Chief Malaak Alony of Agany said that “I know SPLM very well – I found my chiefdom during SPLM leadership hand – I know Yasir Arman very well and this is a right man who could face Khartoum government intensively and I believe all Agany votes will go direct to his box as well our Cde. Chol Tong is already in our heart and in our hand of power.”

“We are going to control Khartoum through democratic struggle – the movement is taught to preach democracy since it was serving as ex-rebel,” he said.

Alony added that Lakes state had been burning all this five year due to inter-clan disputing, but if Chol Tong is elected they expect him to stop the disputes. However, Malaak demanded power sharing to be carried out in the next cabinet. Specifically, he asked that the governor’s deputy hail from Greater Yirol.

“We need hospital and education to be done to us in your government later on,” he said.

In reply, Cde Mayay affirmed that education, hospital, clean drinking water and security are first steps to be taken within 100 days of his cabinet. He said his cabinet will include ministers from all eight counties.

Agany youth leader Isaac Bol Beny said that “we bring leaders into power at this tree but we wonder why they turn their horns against us again once they have obtained their seats? We are confident Cde Engineer Chol Tong that you will win this election but we need our interests to be fulfilled before your horns turn against us.”

Bol told this parable to the governor candidate, “Why do people sit facing the pot? It is because, a long time ago the pot ran away with cooked food in it and everybody at home ran after it to bring it back home, therefore because of this reason women remain to distribute food to everybody at home in order that if it may run away again with food then everybody will seek to bring it back home”.

(ST)