Campaign season launched in Rumbek Freedom Square

By Manyang Mayom

February 13, 2010 (RUMBEK) — The Lakes state National Election Commission (NEC) launched the campaign phase for the coming April election in Rumbek Freedom Square on Saturday. This is the first time since the end of the 22-year north-south conflict that Lakes state will go to the polls.

Lakes state nominees contesting for the position of the governorship include Joseph Malual Dong Riak from United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF), Isaac Awan Maper from National Congress Party (NCP), Gabriel Kuc Abyei from African National Congress – Sudan (ANC-Sudan) and Engineer Chol Tong Mayay from Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party who was absent at the launching ceremony organized by NEC.

The National Congress Party (NCP) candidate, Awan Maper, during the rally said “I am not going to be governor for NCP alone, I will be a governor for all political parties operating in Lakes state and as a whole in Sudan — I will lead all of you into the lighted space of the future”. Awan was governor of Lakes state during war period in Western Bahr-El-Ghazal state based on Omar Hassan Al-Bashir’s presidential decree in 2002.

Gabriel Kuc Abyei (ANC-Sudan) seems to have gained more supporters in Lakes state. Supporters were cheering and calling his name “Abyei, Abyei,” after he had just delivered a short and rich speech at Rumbek Freedom Square.

Kuc Abyei said “You all know me and I know you all – the same way you knew me is the same way I would know all of you – I will change wrong reflection of this state into good reflection. I have 35 years been away from politics and when I see wrong thing happening in this state, it pains me a lot, and the situation has forced me to appear in politics and I will work hard to bring complete change if you people could elected me to rule this state”.

He continued saying that African National Congress (ANC – Sudan), is a child of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement born in March 2006 – “if SPLM is away, there is no ANC – ANC is firstborn son of CPA,” he said.

Kuc Abyei affirmed that “I just came from the remote village and I will serve you all. Elect me and I will do everything you people wanted me to do. All parties had their own policy. What makes the difference is the result of what you say. All my age-mates have gone into politics but I had remained behind and now I have fully decided to join politics with the aim of saving you. All administrative sectors are going to be governed fairly if you would choose me to lead this state”.

Kuc Abyei is married with 3 wives with a total of 12 children of which five are girls and seven boys. He also added that he is going to have as many children as he can.

Kuc Abyei had been a teacher for 35 years as well as president of the African National Front in the period between 1981 to 1982 in Khartoum before his graduation. He also had been a primary teacher for 3 years. In 1998 Gabriel Kuc reopened Rumbek Senior Secondary school. Kuc is a non-military man and is now working with Oxfam-GB in Lakes state.

Joseph Malual Dong Riak, leader of the mother UDSF party, ensured the public that his leadership will convey development and fairness in all institutions. “I am Joseph Malual Dong, I came to stand before you here, many among you were asking why I don’t come to Rumbek, I am now here in Rumbek. I am working in GONU. If there is no election, then you will not get that freedom you dream. There must be election and without election it will take us back to square one. Let us try to clam down those who like to incite problems within the community. The aim of UDSF is to secure the right of self-determination for the people of Southern Sudan — take this message seriously,” he said.

The incumbent governor Lt-Gen Daniel Awet Akot, who did not win the SPLM nomination during Electoral College, assured that all political parties will deserve the same protection from SPLM leadership in Lakes state. The deputy governor and minister for law enforcement Lt-Col David Nok Marial directed all candidates to choose their rightful policeman to guard them in this campaign period. “You are free to choose any policeman of you choice to guard you in this campaign period except that untrained soldiers would not be allow to carry out protection work,” said Nok.

Lakes state government-owned Radio FM-98 will cover the election, allotting the same amount of coverage to each candidate, according to Nok Marial.

Pagan Amum Okech, the SPLM Secretary General affirmed that “Yes, the SPLM is going to contest all the constituencies in the Sudan, the SPLM has chosen its candidates; we have prepared ourselves to put forward our SPLM manifesto, why we want the vote of the Sudanese people is to form a national government.”

The electoral campaigning swinging into action in Rumbek on February 13, the National Elections Commission (NEC) issued a detailed list of rules and regulations that all political parties and independent candidates must stick to.

The Commission will monitor campaign budgets, unlawful use of state resources, forbid any instigation of violence and defamatory campaigns against the opposition. Financial transparency, for campaigns at all levels, will be applicable for campaigns conducted during the general elections and likewise in southern Sudan’s referendum in 2011.

The comprehensive guidelines stipulate that no political party or contesting candidate is to utilize State resources with the exception of national media networks. On Friday, Sudan’s Radio and Television Corporation announced two daily electoral programs, one in the morning and the other at night, from February 15 onwards.

Campaign budgets have been allocated fairly to all electoral participates. The campaign funds have been disbursed by the Government of National Unity (GONU), Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) and States’ administration organs. Cash, private funding, monies received from organizations, domestic or international, and funding from other countries, are prohibited. Campaign funds are only to finance nominees’ preparation and delivery of political programs.

All party nominees and independent candidates, the NEC rule states, must surrender financial statements detailing how the allocated campaign funds were spent. The Commission will seek all involved in electoral campaigning to account monetarily for their respective programs.

(ST)