NBGS: New aspirants stand as old faces seek return to parliament

By Ngor Arol Garang

February 9, 2010(KHARTOUM) — Just as the election days draw closer and running faster, incumbents struggle to retain their seats as many new aspirants vie to replace them.

With independent candidates drawing public attentions as most popular contestants, electoral race particularly in the state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal is peaking prompting old faces seeking return to power rush out with promises supposedly to have been made and implemented prior to election campaigns.

The nationwide contest will cut across; from presidential race to parliamentary constituencies and end with local government. And as electoral campaign fever rises up sparking political tension, temperatures too begin to rise. With media out in the field, Sudan Tribune on Monday 8, puts a gauge on the political climate analyzing the aspirants and the issues that are likely to influence voter choices.

Beginning with Abiem East as a constituency where aspirants are examined in the primaries and not in the general elections, and as party of Aweil East, a home county of incumbent governor Paul Malong Awan, opinion polls conducted there indicates that any opposition or independent candidate who presents him/herself may do so only to gain fame.

The reason being allegations around recent deployment of closest friends or former foes as local administrative officers so as to influence electorates in their respected Payams and Bomas in the upcoming national elections in favor of incumbent governor.

This signals attempt to resolve political grievances with financial award and administrative appointment of locally regarded influential figures to end grudges that have existed over the years.

This recent changes in the political arena saw appointment of local administrative officers in the area like Moses Akok Kuol for Madhol Payam, Thomas Yel Deng Nguel for Malualbai Payam while those alleged to be supporters of no sides such as Atuer Arol Kuan previously deployed to Madhol has been deployed out of highly populated areas mainly middle lands.

He is thrown out to highlands where a woman walks five hours to fetch five gallon of drinking water every morning. Deng Aluk of Malualbai too has been deployed out of Malualbai Payam to Rum Akeer amid allegation that he supports groups loyal to independent candidates under General Dau Aturjong.

However, and as race continues with supporters favoring changes against old faces, incumbent Member of Parliament at the state legislative Assembly, Mr. Deng Deng Maluil declared that he will not stand again after serving for one term.

His name too never appeared during Electoral College result prompting him to initially say would stand as independent candidate. Majority poor also vow to support candidates of their choice but not incumbents whom they say have done little to change face of the area.

“We have tested them and have done nothing instead they end up staying in towns leaving us to struggle with challenges we hoped would be lobbied for remedies,” said Tong Akech a local resident in the area of Malualbai.

Abiem east is one of the constituencies in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State made up of two Payam namely Malualbai and Madhol. The rest are being created in the bid for new county from Aweil East.

Following signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement ending the longest civil war in Sudan, the government of national unity was formed followed by Juba based government and states.

When government formed and assemblies established, Kom Kom Geng became first post CPA appointed member of Parliament representing Abiem East in Juba while Ayii Ayii Akol in Khartoum.

The two officials made it to the houses at a time when there were no elections as it was part of implementation of the 2005 peace agreement but have started smelling stiff competition as April polls puts an end to presidential prerogative that appoint members of parliament and other disciplines.

In this constituency, for Juba parliamentary seat, three people have shown interest in the seat including incumbent Kom Kom Geng, Dr.Akoon Akech, and Nickson Madich Kuek Kuek, State Director of the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission while candidates from other political parties are yet to be named.

However, Khartoum is being contested by John Agany Deng as official nominee with incumbent Member of Parliament Ayii Ayii Akol as independent candidate. Ayii is related to incumbent governor Malong by marriage having married his own daughter but have political differences.

He was the first official with late honorable Longar Awaar Riing to talk to the media against incumbent governor soon after his appointment in March 2008.

To their disadvantage, for Juba seat, Dr. Akoon Akech and Madich Kuek all hails from Madhol Payam making it possible to split their home vote in favor of Kom Kom whose strong challenger, Pastor William Mou Deng, has already withdrawn from the race in favor of Dr. Akoon following discussions he held with local chiefs who requested him to decline the seat.

Although Kom seems to enjoy the fact of having two candidates contesting from the same area hence making it possible to divide votes of their home Payam in his favor, majority still favor Dr. Akoon over him.

Our support goes to Dr. Akoon because he has credentials to represent not only Abiem East as constituency but Aweil as state at large as national minister given his educational background, said Garang Aguer, a local official in the area currently visiting Aweil town.

In Abiem West constituency, Thomas Mou Kuan Adim, a new graduate of economics and social studies from Bahr el Ghazal University, has already started hunting for votes. He walks around the area wooing the constituents.

In positive response, the rural-based poor majority from Yargot and Mangok Payams have openly showed their support for him as some of his friends living in the urban towns of Khartoum, Juba and Aweil have also flocked villages to convince their relatives to support him.

Mr. Garang Ngor Gop, who had initially sought to stand as independent candidate has withdrawn in support of Thomas Mou Kuan Adim against SPLM official nominee Luka Agiu Agiu. A man described to possess no traditional leadership skill let alone educational background.

Local people including his own relatives hardly remember the first and the last time Agiu was in school. He is an illiterate known for being hawker riding bicycle selling out goods belonging to other retailers on commission charges. Chances of him winning upcoming elections on SPLM ticket are next to impossibility.

With Mou doing door-to-door campaign canvassing for votes, elders and intellectuals alike from the area said they would support him because of his determination and patience.

Despite failing to go to Parliament in the upcoming elections, as one of the Electoral College member, named as Bol Adim, deliberately dropped off his name at the last minute, incumbent member of the Juba parliament, Peter Lual Lual, has also dropped off the race in favor of Thomas Mou Kuan Adim.

Lual is still known to have built one primary school and one clinic with constituency development funds making his voice supporting Thomas Mou more valuable saying he (Mou) would do more than Agiu if elected by poor majority.

“I have a reason why I declined from the race in favor of Thomas Mou. It is because he and I comes from the same area not just constituency and have shared vision to elevate situation of our people,” he said

“I have also listened to voices advising me to give him my full support this time;” he said adding Mou is also among original SPLA fighters who are still alive with knowledge cognizant of why we were in the bush.

Honorable Lual further added that Mou’s education and closeness to most friends and relatives to current GOSS President could also work in his favor, as voters could think he is in a better position to lobby for resources.

He has many friends making business like Dut Gop too, he adds saying these people will make his campaign for any developmental projects easier. He will not struggle to make new friends but will make use of these friends to influence and support his developmental plans and resources allocation within the Juba based parliament being a civil servant already in that assembly, Lual said.

As supports for him is being drummed up , an elder in Yargot was reportedly quoted as saying constituencies that voted for typical members of the SPLM to represent them in parliament like Aweil North and South had developed at a faster pace.

He was referring to Honorable Arthur Akuien Chol, a former minister of finance in the regional minister of south Sudan and Hon Lual Diing Wol, GOSS presidential political advisor who have made use of constituency development funds in their home villages of Taraliet and Ariath.

(ST)