Sudan’s SPLM strategize campaign for next year’s elections
By James Gatdet Dak
July 22, 2008 (JUBA) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) is holding a two-day Political Bureau Campaign Meeting in Juba to strategize on campaigns for the next year’s general elections in the country.
SPLM officials say the two-day campaign strategies meeting or workshop is very vital exercise to guide the Party in conducting effective campaigns to win the national elections in the Sudan’s 25 states including the heavily populated national capital, Khartoum.
In a closed door meeting chaired by the First Deputy Chairperson of the Party, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the meeting which included international facilitators on Tuesday began to discuss a wide range of vital issues in preparations for effective and successful campaign plans.
In his opening keynote speech, Machar explained the importance of the strategic Meeting on the coming elections, which he said would be symmetric and difficult to be grasped by the ordinary voters unless explained to them in advance and properly.
The two-day SPLM Political Bureau Campaign Meeting is expected to discuss the role of the Party structures in the election campaign, especially the roles each of the key Party organs is expected to play before and during the forthcoming elections and how these structures interact.
Facilitators will provide an overview of Sudan elections timetable from 2008 to 2011, and an overview of recent findings on elections infrastructure and planning in Southern Sudan.
The Meeting will also give an overview of the strategic role of the political party in the campaign process, with emphasis on political marketing – linking the party to citizens.
It will also discuss the SPLM campaign plan and process including writing the campaign plan, budgeting and financial management, research, messaging, voter education and outreach among others.
The SPLM Political Bureau will also discuss in the workshop on the best/workable strategies for candidate selection and the qualities of strong candidates, sharing or putting into consideration international and regional experiences.
The meeting will also discuss requirements for gender mainstreaming in candidate selection.
Finally, the meeting is expected to come out with a SPLM Master Campaign Calendar draft plan.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement ended its 21-year war against the previous central government in a January 9, 2005 landmark Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that led to the formation of the Government of National Unity (GoNU) in which it is the co-ruling party with the National Congress Party – its peace partner.
In 2011, citizens of Southern Sudan are expected to vote in an internationally supervised referendum to either choose to separate and create an independent sovereign nation or confirm the present unity of the Sudan.
(ST)