Northern Bahr el Ghazal calls for peaceful electoral campaign

February 14, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Northern Bahr el Ghazal authorities have called for peaceful electoral campaign amongst contenders from parties contesting upcoming elections

Addressing participants and representatives from the other political parties at Aweil Freedom Square, Deputy Governor and a minister of local government, Josephine Lado, called on all parties including independent leaders of the candidates to conduct peaceful and responsible electoral campaigns.

Josephine Lado is currently acting governor as incumbent governor is out of the area in Juba awaiting presidential relief from office for upcoming elections.

The state National Election Commission (NEC) also took it an opportunity to officially launch campaign programs and called on all parties to provide details of their campaigns including locations and date of activities saying all programs must have differences timings.

This will be the first time for Northern Bahr el Ghazal state to go to the polls after years of civil war, which claimed millions of lives and uprooted millions more from their home of origins across the region.

The state official contenders for gubernatorial position include Dau Aturjong Nyuol from independent candidates group within SPLM, Joseph Ajuong from the ruling National Congress Party, Paul Malong Awan from South Sudan ruling party, the SPLM, and Kawac Makuei Mayar from United Democratic Salvation Front.

Addressing a composite group of intellectuals after a rally in Aweil town, Dr. Dhieu Mathok Diing Wol, who spoke on behave of independent candidates, said believe in “change brought by the people and not to the people”.

“Nothing begins from up but down upward,” he said. Therefore, according to him, “change must come from local people and not from anywhere else to manage affairs of Mading Aweil people”.

“As independent groups within our party, our objectives remain the same with focus on rural developmental plans that encourages no movement of local population to urban towns in search of better living conditions and jobs,” he said.

The official representative of the group currently seems to have gained more support in the area against official nominee; he further added amid cheering and dances chanting change that Mading Aweil has suffered a great deal through external interference in its affairs.

“We have never been allowed to determine and manage our affairs whether be in the bush or inside towns previously held by the government. Our leaders are always picked and thrown to us with threats and people kept because we had hoped that such a day would come and of course it has come,” he commented.

He told the gathering that General Dau knows all your sufferings and is the right person since he and you are all known to one other and that he is better placed to change the tarnished image of our state to the desire of the majority.

Representatives from national Congress Party and United Democratic Salvation Front declined to give out speech saying time was enough to address the rally but have given out their campaign programs to the national election commission branch office in the state.

(ST)