Juba Voter Registration: What are the main issues people register for?

By Richard Ruati

November 24, 2009 (JUBA) – After spending three days in Juba during my visit to the capital of the semi-autonomous region, I took interest in taking part in the process of Voter Registration.

In blistering heat, which is the order of the day in Juba, people are going about their normal business and pedestrians are struggling to cross over the dusty roads, there are Voter registration posters in almost on every wall, gate or on the vehicles – “Register to Vote.”

What is amazing that the Registration centers are not busy as expected, from Yambio to Juba the same shortcomings and complains is matching.

Renovations on the old Sudan offices in Juba are finishing, amid heavy presence of the International NGOs.

In Juba town, I drove passed the busy city Center via the dusty and rough roads being used by government officials who drive around in flashy new 4x4s, receiving envious glances from the less fortunate who are being urged to register in their thousands. The short visit took us to the Jimmy Carter Center main Juba Office, the only International Observer on the Ground and to a Registration centre at the Municipality of Munuki.

While at the Carter Centre, I asked the Deputy Director of the Carter Centre and few of the Carter Centre Observers.

The Carter Centre had issued a series of press statements questioning the conduction and organization of the voter registration, the bottle criticism was the issuance of accreditation of the observers and part agents.

According to the Jimmy Carter Center observer, Mr. Robert Brandstetter, “there have been enormous changes to the Center’s concerns; there has been substantial improvement to some of the poor logistical organization, which initial saw outcry from the public and the political parts nationwide.”

Brandstetter says that given the fact that, this is Sudan’s first General Elections in 24 years, some of the shortcomings may not be a major concerns and the Jimmy Carter Center expects to make a full report at the Registration Process.

In our second stop, at Munuki Juba, visiting one of the registration centers, I met a very energetic community chief, Mr. Lado Lubanibani Lasu says, “happy to the ongoing preparatory exercise which will Southern Sudanese people to exercise their democratic rights more decades in civil War which crippled the development of oil-rich region.”

According to Chief Lado, “the registration centers are very far from the people making it inaccessible to many special the women,” adding that, “the key issue driving many people to register is the 2011 referendum, the presidential and legislator elections next year in April.”

Chief Lado further remarked that, “Lack of safe drinking water, electrification of the city and paved roads will decide the Sudanese Elections come 2010.”

Next to the registration officer sat a police woman, watching me on the interview with the area chief, according to her, “there is been marvelous security, since the Munuki center started there has never any trouble or intimidation.”

Ms. Kabang Jenty in the queue to register looking tired and exhausted as she had traveled to the center from a far Distance, she says that, “I am happy to register, because I feel it is my right to change the leadership, I will be voting to depict the women participation and my votes will go to both male and female candidates willing to foster the provision of good hospitals and standard education.”

At a nearby secondary School studies James Enosa Mathias, he has registered, he says, what pains him is the condition and lack of professionalism in his school, teachers always spend four months before getting their dues, this phenomena is reducing the standard of education to zero, yet many of the [our] leaders send their kids to East Africa and western World for better education, Enosa says “this can be stopped unless if he votes next year.”

Amungi Samuel is the registration officer for Munuki Centre he says, “Each day 200 people do register, mainly in the morning hours.”

Samuel cites lack of necessary support from the National Election Commission (NEC), “the delay of salary is disrupting my concentration though I am serving the country diligently.”

He appealed to the NEC to improve on these shortcomings.

The Euphoria for the Sudanese Elections shall be realized next year.

The state of the economy is the biggest problem agitating Sudanese people to register as voters. Referendum is another major issue, and one on which the National Congress and SPLM parties are divided – The CPA pledged to the coming elections to the Sudanese people, while the elections foresee a gradual transformation of democratic and stabilized Sudan.

Concerned by rising basic commodities prices, many people are urging for a reduction in South Sudan dependence on imported items from neighboring countries like, Kenya, Uganda and DRC, but there are differences in emphasis. The Sudanese government in Khartoum is keen on drilling new oil wells off the Nile coast and trade with Arab World and China, while South Sudan favours higher trade efficiency with East Africa.

Healthcare, basic education and developmental infrastructure services remain an important issue for many voters. South Sudanese people particularly want to see more people covered by affordable health services.

Social issues such as chronic tribal fighting, unemployment and cattle wrestling seem to be slightly less important.

In April 2010, Sudan is scheduled to hold its first democratic elections in 24 years. General elections are dictated by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, or CPA, which ended a second civil conflict between northern and southern Sudan that lasted two decades that killed over two million people, and displaced 4 million more. The original premise and promise of elections-democratic transformation, consolidating the peace, and making unity attractive-have been marred by the dominant National Congress Party’s four-year pattern of obstructionism, which has stalled progress on the implementation of the CPA, and sapped good will between North and south.

However experts say the landscape in Sudan has changed in the four years since the CPA was signed and the United States and key actors have to adjust their expectations for the elections and recalibrate their strategy to revive CPA implementation to include the other parts of the country.

(ST)