General Dau declares his candidacy for Northern Bahr el Ghazal Governor

January 3, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Days after authorities from Northern Bahr el Ghazal State confirmed official nomination of incumbent governor, Paul Malong Awan Anei, Major General Dau Aturjong Nyuol, a man who has always been a successor of General Malong Awan, broke his long awaited silence declaring his intention to run for gubernatorial position in Northern Bahr el Ghazal.

Amid claps and alleluias which could be heard during an interview with officials, General Dau while addressing his supporters and citizens of the state, reportedly said has no bad intention against incumbent governor Malong and that was why it took him long to declare his intention.

“I had no intention but as usual, he said, I was moved by voices wanting me to continue the flag of security and development of Northern Bahr el Ghazal.”

“General Malong and I are sons and citizens of this region in reference to Northern Bahr el Ghazal State hence makes us to always make identical decisions and plans particularly those beneficial to our people mainly security and development,” he said.

General Dau has been in the area during war from lieutenant till he rose to General in 2008. He fought many successful battles while able to make peace with members of the neighboring communities resulting into 1991 local peace treaty with Messeriya tribe at Bakou, Aweil East County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal.

The peace held on relationships between the two neighboring tribes of Messeriya and Dinka Malual kept on progress till General Malong from Eastern Sudan and Equatoria where he served as one of the SPLA commanding officers arrived Northern Bahr el Ghazal replacing late General George Kuac with Dau as one of his commanding officers when he took over.

He served in the Area as overall commanding officer till 1998 when he was subsequently replaced by General Dau as alternate commander already Malong was a commander.

At a rally he held in Aweil town freedom square, General Dau received two strong gifts with one being shield “Kot” in Dinka as a gift with message conveying protection of citizens against external agrression and their resources from being looted by unfaithful leaders and another was Ajom, a traditional gift usually given to the most loved figure in the Dinka society.

In his address to the crowd at Aweil, he vowed to fight corruption saying it is an obstacle to achieving development in the area.

Amid alleluias and claps, he said, corruption kills development and is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving good intentions and is always against commitments and targets to reducing poverty, hunger and other social ills.

Explaining strategy of his government if elected, he said, he will first and foremost form or solicit extension of the GOSS anti graft office in Juba to Aweil town.

This is one of my priorities, he said adding that another area will be education to educate most of disadvantaged children of the war veterans mostly orphans and windows.

He pledged also to pay attention to health saying most of the rural villages have long been denied basic health services. The candidate also talked of construction of roads and bridges in the area.

However, is he said to have taken time on corruption saying when public money is stolen for private gain, it means fewer resources to build schools, hospitals, roads and water treatment facilities.

When public funds are diverted into private bank accounts, major infrastructure projects come to a halt, he said declaring that his first concern will be fight against corrupt which he said has undermined good intentions to act and serve people major poor.

(ST)