Voter registration teams urged to reach cattle keeper in Upper Nile
By Ngor Arol Garang
November 15, 2009 (MELUT) – Commissioner of Melut County in Upper Nile State, Thon Juac, has urged on Saturday for inclusion of cattle keepers in the ongoing voter registration process.
“The voter registration teams should by all means possible reach everybody including cattle keepers in their camps before reaching official deadline,” he said.
Voters’ registration for the Sudan’s April 2010 elections began on November 1 all over the country and set to end on November 30. The very low voters’ registration turnout in southern Sudan pushed Juba cabinet last week to ask for the extension of the registration exercise for one more month to try to mobilize and register a good number of voters.
Characterized by flat, low lying and vast plains, the predominant livelihoods of the communities in Melut County are agro-pastoralism. Given its strategic location along the road to Renk, Nasir and Khartoum, there is constant migration in and out of Melut.
Juac said there are number of cattle camps in the far west and north east of Nasir camping lots of people mostly youth and elderly, adding they must be reached for registration.
“Registration teams fear them because they are often hostile to accept coming to centers in which government programs are conducted” because they fear that government had agenda to arrest those involved in cattle theft and other tribal rivalry in rural villages.
“This was one of the prime reasons majority of them avoided coming out in big numbers during census in May 2008,” he said.
The commissioner said the turnout for voter registration will this time differ with previous government programs because; they (cattle keepers) have been informed and assured.
The county commissioner, who was optimistic, went further to say members of his administration have done great job in the campaign for voter registration.
He also congratulated local chiefs, youth and women groups for working closely with members of his administration for successful conduct of the exercise.
“I call upon our people not to allow ourselves fall into the same hole. We must encourage and engage ourselves in complete registration for this is an alternative to prove or disapprove figures given to Nasir County from last census result,” he said.
(ST)
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Voter registration teams urged to reach cattle keeper in Upper Nile
Time to chase people not time to protect people. Poor government is nothing, only need people in time benefit not time security Government of Sick Service GOSS don’t include cattle in your registration scrp books. I know in the bush it is hard to judge how people are there.
Oduck Bol
Voter registration teams urged to reach cattle keeper in Upper Nile
Iam embarrassed with your system man. Even you can say we reached them in comps. Do you think they love being cattle keepers? I can tell you that there is no another option for them that is why they choose to spend their lives living in the bush. In instead saying that we encouraged them to come to go to school.
Deng Francis
Voter registration teams urged to reach cattle keeper in Upper Nile
Ah ah,pump the break your execellency mr. commissioner Thon Juach who are you trying to blindfool here?
I heard that voter registration has not even started in your county and here you are urging people to get registered, what an embarassment is this?
I want to believe that some of us who are holding these political positions are very naive and immature when it comes to politics. I wish i were you i would have said something different from this. I really pity you!
thanks
riak anderson f
WILFRED BOL
Voter registration teams urged to reach cattle keeper in Upper Nile
Thank you the Commissioner Of Melut County.
Extension of registration to all the places our Southern Sudanses are residing is the way forward.
You are wise leader and the best.
WILFRED BOL