Bakosoro completes campaign in western counties of W. Equatoria

March 12, 2010 (EZO, Western Equatoria) — The independent candidate Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro returned back to Yambio last Sunday after 7 days campaign that took him to Nagero, Tambura, Mupoi, Source Yubu, Bariguna, Ezo, Bagadi, Yangiri, Baragu, Andari, Bafuka, Naandi and Nzara.

Nagero: Mr. Bakosoro held rally which was attended by about 300 to 400 people. He promised the people of Nagero that if he is elected as governor in the April election, he will make sure that clean water will be made available for the people of Nagero town. At present there is only one borehole supplying the whole town with clean water. He also told the crowd that health and education will be among priorities for the county. Mr. Bakosoro said that Nagero is very strategic and needs more to be done in order to develop it to the standard of other counties. He promise the people of Nagero that he was one of the founder of Nagero County and will never allow it to return back as a payam.

Tambura: Bakosoro received a warm welcome by the people of Tambura. More than 4 thousand people turned up to listen to him. He told the people of Tambura that security will be priority for the areas of greater Tambura. He stated that without security, there will be no any development.

He also stated that he does not want to promise people more than what he has in the manifesto. He urged the people read the manifesto careful. He told his supporters that election is not violence, not hatred. He called for peaceful election. He told the people that if he is elected as governor of WES, he will make sure that there will be law to protect school girls. Any man who spoils the future of a young girl from school shall have to be behind bar for maximum of 5 yeas.

He advised the people that it is time for them to choose a good leader and focus on the future. People should not be deceived by politicians. He stated that the emergency road repair project is not a government it was there before and during the signing of CPA. He also said the mobile network and is a private business and no one should deceive the people that it was brought by the state government.

Mupoi: In Mupoi, Mr. Bakosoro was joined by Mr. John Sakpio who is also contesting as an independent candidate. Both of them explained to the people of Mupoi why they are contesting as independents. They all spoke of girls’ education, health, agriculture and food security.

Source Yubu: Mr. Bakosoro and his campaign team arrived Source Yubu which is his birth place late afternoon from Tambura. The people of Ri Yubu payam divided themselves into two groups. The first group of the motorists met the campaign team in Kpatanayo while the other group of about 3000 people was waiting at Gangara Kaoro where Mr. Bakosoro was carried on a motorbike to the town centre.

He promised to improve health, education, support traders and better security. He urged his supporters to read his manifesto and judge him if he doesn’t do what he has written in manifesto. During the rally following morning, SPLA officers were present and he urged the people to be close to the soldiers and soldiers be close to the people in order to live in harmony with each other. Ordinary people in both Tambura and Source Yubu praised the soldiers and reported that there has not been any problem between the civilians and soldiers as it was before.

Mr. Bakosoro stated that if elected, he will build a government of the people, by the people and for the people. He said he will spend time listening to people and their problems. He told the people to open their eyes and always be focused because this election is very important. He urged everybody to turn up for voting. He called for a genuine change in the state and an end to LRA presence in WES.

Bariguna: A small payam which has constantly been under attack by LRA. Bakosoro told the crowd who waited for hours to receive him that he feels their pain and suffering. He promised them that he will restore security in areas so that people will be able to return to their farms to cultivate like they used to do before the LRA. They told him that they do not know anybody other than him who visited them during the dark days of last year.

They said they feel like they are forgotten and if they are not part of South Sudan because no any government official has ever visited them. Same message was also revealed in S/Yubu. Bakosoro said he will do everything possible if elected to open schools and build hospitals in places where there are no health services. They listened to him with attention and interest. They promised him that they will always stand behind him.

Ezo: Bakosoro and his team arrived Ezo town Friday late afternoon where he was received by a huge crowd of people. It was the mother of all receptions. Bakosoro was carried by his supporters for the distance of one mile something only happened during the time of King Gbudue.

More than 1000 motorbikes plus the 100 that came from Yambio took part in the march towards the city centre. The reception centre could not accommodate the huge number of people and many ended up outside the gate. He told the crowd that they way they have received him it is only God that can tell and he continued by thanking them for choosing him as their governor before he is chosen.

On Saturday morning,. Bakosoro proceeded to Bagidi and Yangiri in a convoy of about 11 vehicles. The traders in Ezo contributed with four drams of fuel, a tipper and full accommodation for more than 200 people who were in the campaign team. Bakosoro and his team received warm welcome by the people of Bagidi and Yangiri. He told the people of both Payams that he is not going to force them to vote for him. He said it is their own and free choice to choose a leader of their own this time. He said the time for imposing leaders on the people is gone. He promised better schools, hospitals, clean water and security.

Mr. Bakosoro informed the crowds that he is not talking about other people and he does not want other people to talk about him either. He called for peaceful elections and asked his supporters to distance themselves from any kind of violence and confrontation with supporters of his opponents. He told the people of Bagidi that he is not going to forget them like other leaders of the state. He conveyed similar message to them about security, education, water and health.

He distributed his manifesto to people in Yangiri and Bagidi. On his way back from Bagidi, he stopped over at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp. Thousands of them turned up to received him. They offered food and soft drinks. He told them that they shouldn’t have done all what they did. They are the ones in need of assistance not them providing him with food and other staff. He told theIDPs that very soon they will all go back to their villages and cultivate as they used to do before.

He told them that he understands their situation and feels sorry for the thousands of young people who have not been able to go to school like kids in other part of the south due to atrocities caused by foreign mercenaries. He told them that his government will not wait for the LRA to attack the towns. He will go after them where they are.

After the rally in Ezo Sunday midday, Mr. Bakosoro left for Yambio and on his way he stopped over Baragu, Andari, Bafuka and Naandi.

(ST)