SPLM welcomes Sudan’s election deferral

April 6, 2009 (JUBA) — SPLM officials voiced their welcome to the deferral, until next year, of election date as officially announced by the National Electoral Commission but warned that this should not delay the exercise of 2011 referendum that would determine the political future of Southern Sudan.

Abel Alier, Chairman of the Electoral Commission has announced that the presidential and parliamentary elections, which were supposed to take place in July this year according to the CPA, would now take place in February next year.

SPLM Deputy Chairperson, James Wani Igga, who also chairs the SPLM committee that is responsible for the Party’s strategies for the national elections, said in a press release over the weekend that the SPLM welcomed the decision to shift the elections to February next year.

He however added that the Referendum Bill should be passed by the current national parliament before it is dissolved so that the delay in holding the elections will not delay the process to referendum in early 2011.

The SPLM Political Executive Committee chaired by the Vice President Dr. Riek Machar had already presented its draft bill for referendum in the South to the National Congress Party (NCP) committee chaired by the Vice President of Sudan, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha.

Once the joint committee of the two major ruling parties agrees on the final draft, it will be presented to Council of Ministers for approval before it finally reaches the national parliament to enact it.

Machar’s committee has been to Khartoum for three consecutive weeks since mid March debating on review and enactment of dozens of different national laws among which include referenda bills for Southern Sudan and Abyei and popular consultations for Southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains.

Wani Igga also stressed the need to complete the demarcation process of the North-South border and to release the results of the population census which was conducted since April last year.

Igga explained that the official work of the elections process will kick off with the demarcation of political constituencies from April 15.

He further said nomination of candidates will begin on September 1; campaigns will begin on November 31, 2009 up to February 2, 2010 while voting will start on February 6, 2010.

Election results will be declared by February 27, 2010.

(ST)