Rejected SPLM nominees threaten to contest independently

By Manyang Mayom

January 14, 2010 (RUMBEK) – In the aftermath of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) State Electoral College’s selection of candidates on Monday, some of the rejected candidates are protesting and threatening to contest as independent candidates.

Philip Marol Mading, the SPLM Chairperson for Election Strategy and Mobilization and also a member of the state’s Electoral College has officially resigned his office complaining that he was sidelined during the nomination process by the Electoral College’s chairperson.

He accused the Lakes state Electoral College members of being bribed by politicians whom he said were having shadow meetings with members of Electoral College during the night of the nomination’s process.

However, Abraham Mayen Kuc, chairman of Lakes Electoral College said the resignation came too late to have any effect on the procedures. Philip Marol had participated in the nominations process but it did not turn out in his favor. “His resignation will bear no fruits because it is meaningless,” said Kuc, affirming that body’s mandate expired on January 10.

“We are not bribed by any politician and if Cde Marol proved that we are bribed, let him bring evidence,” said the chairman.

Executive Chief Magon Dalkoc of Rumbek North County, said “we have not understood what the Electoral College has done on nominations criteria – we will wait them on polling day and we shall teach them our lesson — those whom we did not expect to contest any post are been imposed on us by state electoral college.”

State officials are blaming Lakes state Electoral College committee of not been fair on nominations process as majority people are saying that this election college has rigged votes of others and given to those whom the consider.

Moses Ater Manyiel, who was given a chance by community leaders to contest April’s coming election for state assembly, was not approved by the State Electoral College. In a recommendation letter written by Wulu chiefs addressed to SPLM state secretariat, Lt-Col Moses Ater Manyiel was described as a protector of the community and previously a signals personnel. The letter recommended that, among the Jur-Beli of Wulu County, he is the first person who joined the SPLA/M in 1984 in Chak division, then he came back to us in 1986 during the capture of Rumbek town based in permission given to him by Lt-Gen Bona Bang Dhiel. The letter was signed by the Wulu paramount chief, Cde Mataba Yoro and Wulu County judge, Peter Majak Malual.

Manyiel was officially released by the army in 2008 based upon his request to its authority; he is now serving in DDR department after having completed training in Malou Infantry School in 2008. He also served at county level as coordinator for Wulu County for Constituency development Fund (CDF) in 2008.

The nominated MP Daffala Rajab Dolog had served in NCP for a long period and finally he decided to join SPLM in 2006. “I do not know how he has been taken to lead in this candidacy nomination selection?” asked rivial candidate Moses Ater Manyiel. “Wulu County has called on me to stand in this election as an independent candidate, I will be very happy if this request is consider by Electoral College.”

Hon. Joseph Maker Mathiang also complained against his rival Baipath Majuec saying that by 2003 Mr. Baipath was appointed by the Khartoum government as Agriculture Minister; he added that he had not resigned from his previous party.

However, in 2007, Mr. Baipath Majuec was appointed as political advisor for Lakes state government and his officially declared his resignation from NCP office in 2007 and state government owned radio air out the letter of resignation. The complainer Maker Mathiang added that in his letter that on 15/9/2007, for Baipath resignation came in as he was already got employment with state government under leadership of Daniel Awet Akot. Maker said that “I don’t know how Mr. Baipath has become popular then myself when Iam a former veteran of Any-nya one and joined the SPLM as earlier as 1997”.

Maker Mathiang and Baipath Majuec are contesting Geographical constituency of Pagor.

Gol Ayie Jal also complained that “The State Electoral College failed to demonstrate the ability to treat all the candidates equally; clear evidence is that the College is literally dissolved in a slow motion, no final consensus is reached to reviled the winners before the college, nor has the chairman freely accept to abide by rule of law to allow college members to dialogue over competitors, to carefully examine their credentials before collective compromise is reached, the scandals by college member triggered and raised concern among people like me”.

Jal said: “My application form was not displayed to members of the college, nor have some people whom I spoke to heard anything regarding my application considering my early completion to fill up and surrender my application form with all required documentation. But unfortunately my name did not see the light in the list of winners or losers; where did my application go? Who is the true winner in Matagai Constituency, followed by who and by what virtue did the winners become greater than me? If there is justice, I would be happy to be shown the results”.

(ST)