SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
February 18, 2010 (JUBA) – The Political Bureau of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has finally resolved to disown its officials who have declared themselves as independent candidates in the forthcoming elections.
The decision to distance the party form independent candidates has been taken after failing to convince the officials to reconsider their candidacy and equally endorse the officials who were nominated by the Political Bureau.
The officials were earlier given an ultimatum by the party’s Secretary General Pagan Amum to either reconsider their decision by the 13th February or face a decision by the party’s highest organ.
The Deputy Secretary General for Southern Sector, Dr. Anne Itto in a televised statement on Wednesday announced the decision by the Bureau disowning all the independent candidates after two days of extra-ordinary meeting in Juba.
The decision was made public after an extraordinary meeting of the SPLM Political Bureau, called by the Chairman of the SPLM, Salva Kiir Mayardit from 15-16th February 2010. The meeting was attended by 14 BP members and 6 other members invited by the leadership to discuss the issues of independent candidates.
More than 340 SPLM officials across the ten Southern Sudan states have declared their independent candidatures, accusing the Political Bureau of “undemocratically” handpicking mostly “unpopular” party officials as flag bearers for various constituencies. They argued their decision to independently contest was in the interest of the majority of the people at the grassroots.
Itto said the independent candidates were no longer part of SPLM and should no longer use the party slogans and logo during their election campaigns, saying they have already dismissed themselves.
However, independent candidates and their supporters have remained defiant of the threat with many of them calling upon the Political Bureau to instead admit its mistake and allow for mixed inter-party and intra-party primary elections against their “handpicked” colleagues on the polling day.
Among the 340-plus independent candidates, seven of them are running for governorship positions in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Eastern Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Central Equatoria, Unity and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states, respectively.
Senior members of the Political Bureau were initially divided over what to do, with some of them considering dismissing the officials while others warning of negative consequences.
Though the party’s chairman Salva Kiir Mayardit has been publicly silent about the issue, his deputy and the party’s Secretary General have voiced contradictory remarks on how to resolve it.
Pagan Amum earlier admitted that there were “irregularities” in the process of nominations by the Political Bureau and “shortcomings” in the system used, but however to avail called on the independent candidates to step down in order not to divide the votes with the officially nominated candidates.
This prompted calls on Amum to resign from his party position by some of the senior party officials who are independent candidates.
The party’s deputy chairman Dr. Riek Machar, on the other hand said it would be unwise to dismiss the independent officials, warning that it would result to splitting the over three million voters in the South with SPLM losing many seats.
He added that it might as well affect the votes for the party’s presidential candidates if the situation was not harmonized.
The seemingly final decision to disown the independent candidates prompted mixed reaction from members of the public who are SPLM and non-SPLM members.
“There is no party with official candidates and independent candidates at the same time. It would have been a violation of the SPLM regulations if such independent candidates were allowed to contest using SPLM tickets against their colleagues,” said the party member who preferred anonymity.
“They are either SPLM members and should therefore abide by the party’s regulations or quit the party,” he continued.
However the decision was disputed by Khamis Samuel who said the Political Bureau was the first to break the party regulations during their selection process.
“They [members of the Political Bureau] deceived us that the nomination system was a bottom-up approach where they would only endorse the nominees who attained highest rates of recommendation from the grassroots, yet the Political Bureau ended up breaking the rules by imposing a top-bottom process,” he said.
“This is undemocratic because they deleted the names of most popular candidates and replaced them with their own choices. Why didn’t they respect the system of nominations and abide by the results of nominations from the grassroots and through electoral colleges?” Khamis continued.
“Instead of getting disappointed with the independent candidates and dismissing them, the Political Bureau should have reversed its unpopular selection by withdrawing all the handpicked candidates and replacing them with the originally nominated candidates at the grassroots,” he further suggested.
Many people fear that with the current situation out of control the SPLM as a party with such internal rivalry will first have to worry about the disowned independent candidates that it is going to battle with over constituencies before it could find a breathing space that can allow it to contest against candidates from other political parties.
A commentator who said was member of the United Democratic Front (UDF) party said “if I were the most influential decision maker in the SPLM, I would have opted to play it cool by silently allowing independent candidates to hunt for constituencies and assuring them that whatever wild meat they will get out of their unlicensed hunting should be brought home to the overall SPLM family and feast on it.”
“Who knows, the independents might be the sharp shooters and know where to get the animals but the licences and bullets might have been given to wrong hunters,” he jokingly said.
“They [SPLM officially nominated and independent candidates] are more likely going to distastefully and cautiously watch at each other during the elections; they know one another; their tactics; connections and where one can resort to for any type of intervention. It is potentially dangerous for the future of the party and for healthy elections in the South,” he warned.
(ST)
Dinka Dominated SPLA
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
The nassir gang doom weicked oaf evil leader will die wouthout seeing the south top leadership. and anyone supporting him will follow him . his days are numbered death to him
THE DINKA DOMINATED SPLA/M IS WATCHING CLOSE TO THOSE NYAGATEEN GANG GROUP SPECIAL THOSE GANGSTA OF NASSIR LEADERS REIK MACHAR TENY DOZ DEATH TO HIM
junub
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
Thanks and please have my party’s love Itto for strenght of having said it all.
It could have been a dreadful mistake for SPLM party to merely back down its stands just because the minority independents have threatened to run parallel to party nominated candidates.
Listening to independents call would have been the opening of chaos doors in the party, that any member in the party can acts wishfully without complying to abide by the rules and regulations of the party.
The good thing the party should have done and have done is to relieve these independents from the party. They should not be allow to use the party logo in their company as they are independents; while on the other hand, the party’s Political Bureau nominated candidates are using it too.
SPLM party and its members should know that some of the independent candidates are innosense but victim of illusion that traitor Riak Machar might rig the party nominations in their behave. Something that can not come true regardless to how hard they dreamed.
Enough should be enough now. Independents should be late go and warned of using the SPLM logo because they have to use their own independent logo otherwise if the SPLM members angery and anything went wrong, SPLM party should not be blamed.
Maruon Ayiei
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
Even the cronies in the south sudan are bowing to have the ownship of the SPLM/A and its Flag. The flag and the Party are different thing and those lunatic who does not understanding it should not parade and start lying to the vunerable people of south sudan. Stick to the party protocol and not to slander other who have been frustrated by NCP like within the SPLM. The time is narrowing both in Khartoum and in Juba since they become sisterly in their act to ordinary people of sudan. Every one has the right to vote whoever they deem to bring change in their state except on National candidate (Yasir Arman) and Regional candidate (Salva Kiir), other than that, vote who deem fit. I am tired of those opportunist in the party who have the breath to corrupted it and start to threat the people. I am tired since a few in the political bureau are pure patriots and the rest are just clown flashing the south into their pit-hole. If the friends who had been hand-picked loose the election, that will be the best thing that the people of south sudan have achieve since 2005. If the region has become a gang state where the thieves group themselves to expliot the people in the name of the party, that is absurdity. Do not start to point at that flag when some of the political bureau were the foe of that flag. Do your damn stuff in the political bureau and stop fooling yourself that we are not watching when you broken our future at the start. I regret to said it but if Dr John was still live, we would had not be in this mess. We are in the dump-pit at least we (people of south sudan) have to reverse the status quo within the SPLM. The priority of the party is to expliot the south like the way NCP does it. If they fail to hold to the power in the future, they will be well set to go missing in action ( stay abroad). I am not talking about hypathetical thing here, I mean it. There are only few individual in that group (political bureau) who are not pirates of south sudan. I am a party supporters but the party has become explioted by those vermin who are just there for cash. For those who go after the people who criticized the SPLM here on this web site, you better have to wipe your paw before you come after me. I am a party die-hard and would not need a lecture from those who do not understand and the core goal of that party. If you are a part of that pooping saga, you have a right to refute my outraged.
Salah
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
Independents should be allowed to run for office freely and with all the protection of the law. This is indeed VERRY HEALTHY FOR THE SOUTH. A south with ONE dominant political party that controls everything is never going to be fully democratic. There must be an equally vibrant opposing political party. That is where you get the benefits of a healthy debate and where you implement checks and balances. Think about all the great democracies, the United States, Great Britain, France, India etc. The independents should split off and form their own party and contest in a democratic environment. They should win or lose based on their ideas and vision for the south and not because they are SPLM or not. That is the only way the south will flourish and becomes great. Stop all the vulgar language and quit the name calling and debate the issues as the intelligent people you are. Why should there be only one candidate for the president of South Sudan? Why not two or three or more and the great people of south Sudan choose the best candidate for president based on extensive exhaustive evaluation of character and vision. Why should you corner yourselves in the situation you have today when you have the chance to make it a better democracy? I guess it is too late for that now because the nomination process for president of south Sudan is over. You will only become the great nation that you deserve when you open up your election process and make it free and inclusive like the great nations before you. Good luck and please stop the hatred, animosity, tribalism and the idiotic name calling. You are all much better than that.
Maker Costa
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
Very unfortunate, General Dau deserves better than that -he will win in NBG though. He is among the most efficient commanders of the SPLA what fought too hard to bring us these elections. So far, he has been endorsed the intellectual community and the masses of NBG -it is just hard for anyone to go against the masses.
I don’t know about the rest of the sacked members.
I hate to see opportunists abusing the SPLM as if the marginalized people of the Sudan fought to afford them their current luxuries.
Maker Costa
babadit
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
The so called SPLM political Bureau was wrong in its decision to suspend all the independent candidates for the up coming electtion, we have hope in them for sure. the candidates nthat were hand pick by the SPLM are not really popular figures within their commnuities and i am quite optimistic they will not get through to the varous offices .
Shame on them for not being democratic in their decision making , they only thing of their big stomach/ protruded belly.
Gatwech
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
Dear readers,
There is something fishy about this stolen decision of the Political Bureau. Please read this paragraph I quoted from the article itself.
“The decision was made public after an extraordinary meeting of the SPLM Political Bureau, called by the Chairman of the SPLM, Salva Kiir Mayardit from 15-16th February 2010. The meeting was attended by 14 BP members and 6 other members invited by the leadership to discuss the issues of independent candidates.”
Political Bureau has 27 members who should have attended the meeting and take part in this very sensitive decision. But only 14 of them attended. The rest might have been sidelined intentionally or blocked from attending in order to make the decision in favor of the 14 present.
Again, who are those other 6 party members invited to illegally take part in the meeting where they should not have attended it in the first place? These are probably of course lobbyists who want independents dismissed while they themselves are contesting for positions. The decision was not even legitimate. It was a corrupted decision by a few within the politburo.
Any way, the SPLM has inflicted on itself a big wound that will get the party rotten, at each others’ throats and may incite violence during elections.
The party’s independents and hand-picked candidates will be aggressive to one another on the ground and lose the election. The party has shot itself in the foot again! The independent officials are more popular and may influence their supporters not to vote for a dictator Salva Kiir and opposer to South Sudan independence, Yasser Arman.
The Political Bureau’s 14 out of 27 plus their 6 illegal attendants have really resorted to political idiocy. The future is very, very bleak, I can assure you on that. But independents will triuphant over the hand-picked candidates in the final scenario.
Independent candidates for independent South Sudan oyeeeee………
Gatwech
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
Salva Kiir destroys the SPLM,
There is something fishy about this stolen decision of the Political Bureau. Please read this paragraph I quoted from the article itself.
“The decision was made public after an extraordinary meeting of the SPLM Political Bureau, called by the Chairman of the SPLM, Salva Kiir Mayardit from 15-16th February 2010. The meeting was attended by 14 BP members and 6 other members invited by the leadership to discuss the issues of independent candidates.”
Political Bureau has 27 members who should have attended the meeting and take part in this very sensitive decision. But only 14 of them attended. The rest might have been sidelined intentionally or blocked from attending in order to make the decision in favor of the 14 present.
Again, who are those other 6 party members invited to illegally take part in the meeting where they should not have attended it in the first place? These are probably of course lobbyists who want independents dismissed while they themselves are contesting for positions. The decision was not even legitimate. It was a corrupted decision by a few within the politburo.
Any way, the SPLM has inflicted on itself a big wound that will get the party rotten, at each others’ throats and may incite violence during elections.
The party’s independents and hand-picked candidates will be aggressive to one another on the ground and lose the election. The party has shot itself in the foot again! The independent officials are more popular and may influence their supporters not to vote for a dictator Salva Kiir and opposer to South Sudan independence, Yasser Arman.
The Political Bureau’s 14 out of 27 plus their 6 illegal attendants have really resorted to political idiocy. The future is very, very bleak, I can assure you on that. But independents will triuphant over the hand-picked candidates in the final scenario.
Independent candidates for independent South Sudan oyeeeee………
Hillary B.M.L,M
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
This is a total failing of ( Worriers) SPLAM, they by all in all broke all the International Rules, you will supper in the near future if mare Citizens rebel against you, you Fucken Notorious SPLAM dominated by one tribe+ some selves, in this way you will not take long time in rule before internal war start and you are the caused of it. World is watching your all deeds, don’t cry later if other things cut of from you Dear Civilians Juntas.
BORAnyidi
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
I do not understand why most of fellow brothers turned the news into their personal views instead of talking about what we would do to bring our people together. I wanted you to know Northerners are laughing at you, when you guys used some bad words on the wedsite. you must know that you are the leaders of the South Sudan. I understand that the Government of Northern Sudan’s hiring Southerners to turn against other southerners. But those who have been hiring to be against their brothers will somedays remorse about what they done. I believe most of you are well educated so you must stop preaching, teaching tribalism because many people around the world are reading the news about our country and when they read this bad words on the internet, they will have bad concept about us southerners. I hope you do know that. my comment is not about the political Issues, it is about those who turned political problems into tribalins, instead of focusing on what we can do to get independent from North Sudan.
Critic_Ngueny
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
SPLA/M Oyee? Southern Sudan Oyee!AK_47 Juu or up.
The Sudan people’s liberation Movement is not a donkey on which anybody is free to take a joy ride.They know why they fought that was to restore the right and dignity of our people.Do we carry if independent candidates leave SPLA/M? I know very well that what goes up comes down.They will go and come back like Dr.Left and Dr.Right who went for green pastures in 1991 and come back to Dr.Garang de Mabior.
If the political Bureau would have allowed them to contest,we would have gone back to square one whether we like it or not.Most of them have already been influenced by the Khartoum Government in order to cause confusion among the people ;and due to their being money minded people they agreed.Shame on them and their future thieves.
I would like to warn my dear barking dogs from Equatoria to stop talking against Dinkas otherwise I won;t tolerate them that.
Critic_Ngueny from Bor town.
okucu pa lotinokwan
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
Bravo,Bravo the 27 SLPM political Bureau members for disowning those independent candidates,it is very correct. For me as i can see those independent candidates they are like these Nigas boys/street boys,whom the government is trying in telling them not to do this or that yet they don,t want to listen, where some of them do end their live in prisonment for the crime they are causing within the community.
The independent candidates should not be in hurry for the meat of that Elephant, the Elephant is not yet completely death,let the great hunters finish in killing this elephant, after that those independent candidates they way they called themselves, they will starting enjoying the best part of the meat they want with their hungry childern.But wait first.
Time1
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
This is fair enough because the rules of the party is very clear, Independence should foirm their own party of go it on their own as they have choosen.
James Okuk Solomon
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
SPLM Oyeeeeeeeeeeee. Backward Ever but Forward Never!!! This is SPLM under the failed Kiir presidency of the GoSS and Chairmanship of the SPLM.
Makuach Akot Ngongdit
SPLM Political Bureau disowns independent candidates
Dear comrades and all,
allow me to comment on DR RIEK statement on independent candidates. he who confuse all people starting first when he defacted from SPLM durring war period between NORTH & SOUTH.
Today, he again support the independence candidates because his wife is contesting independently. please DR RIEK put in mind that no longer force to the second class this time. if your wife is voted out she should remain silent like the rest. this the very time second people should play their expectations.
if that is the case, I as the citizen of this nation, I all comrades to remain calm even DR RIEK wife if she is not working wiz the influence of her husband.