Bakosoro stands as independent candidate for W. Equatoria governorship

By Ngor Arol Garang

January 26, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Joseph Bakosoro, an SPLM official at southern sector secretariat, on Monday 25, has issued a statement declaring his intention to stand for Western Equatoria State gubernatorial post as independent candidate against SPLM official nominee, incumbent female governor Jemma Nunu Kumba.

Joseph Bakosoro becomes the third SPLM figure to come out publicly expressing intention to stand in the upcoming April election as independent candidate after government of Southern Sudan’s presidential advisor, Alfred Ladu Gore and Angelina Teny for Unity State.

Their decisions expressing dissatisfaction with the party’s political bureau approval of some nominees appears to expose internal challenges with the SPLM leadership.

In the release, obtained by Sudan Tribune, the candidate said he would like to make this statement as confirmation of his position in regards to the recent decision of the SPLM Political Bureau on the Governors’ selections for Western Equatoria State.

“I make this statement knowing that the people of Western Equatoria State are not happy with the decision of the political bureau. It is the people’s constitutional rights i.e. (civil, political and democratic) to vote in their desired leaders,” he said

However, he was to recognize that SPLM as a political party has its own internal rules and regulations that deal with conduct of elections which he said respect sincerely.

“I am satisfied with the decision given circumstances surrounding the nominations processes for the governorship in WES that took place recently, because it is in line with the party’s interests and preferences,” he said.

Bakosoro stressed the SPLM decsion does not represent interest of the majority in the Western Equatoria. “It is in the interest and preferences of the party,” he said adding that majorities of the people of WES are not happy with the decision of the SPLM Political Bureau and has therefore urged him to represent their aspirations in the forth coming elections for the post of governor.

He continued to say, we have seen that in the past, several appointments of governors were made by the SPLM leadership without proper consultations with the people to be governed thereby imposing leaders on the people of Western Equatoria State against their will; this sort of move created a lot of discontents among our people and this may be the third time.

“To our SPLM members in WES, I wish to reiterate my sincere believe to you that the SPLM is only keen about its interest as a party not the interest of the people. This is not good for the party because the party is the people and the SPLM should work for the people’s interest, he commented in closing,” he said.

(ST)