The importance of holding Sudan’s elections
By Moi Peter Julius
March 20, 2010 — The month of April this year is the official month for holding the elections in Africa’s largest country that has been at war between North and South.This upcoming elections according to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement(CPA) was to have been held by 2009 but due to some unavoidable circumstances like the delay in conducting the census,it has to be pushed up to this current year.According to the National Elections Commission(NEC),the campaigns will end officially on 9/02/2010.And around 160000000 eligible voters will be casting their votes for the Presidency of the Republic,South Sudan,Legislatators to the National Assembly,South Sudan Legislative Assembly,State Governors and State legislators.This is the first of it’s kind in Sudanese history and it shows the reigning of real democratization in Sudan.Successive elections have been held but do not match the standards of this present election and that is why every body is keen following the whole electoral process.Experts say, it will be the first democratic elections to be held in over decades.Thanks to the key partners and signatories to the CPA,the National Congress Party(NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement(SPLM).Your efforts for instilling this democratic process is being appreciated by the entire Sudanese people and the international community.
Firstly,a successful elections leads to a success in the conduct of the southern self-determination referendum that is scheduled to take place next January if it is to be held on schedule.The CPA mandates the marginalized people of South Sudan to determine their own destiny that is whether they wanted to remain in a united Sudan or as independent South Sudan.The CPA calls the key partners to the peace truce to make unity attractive but this I think will be judge by the population who shall vote in the Internationally monitored Referendum.There are already calls to delay the referendum and this a good understanding of the political leadership in the country.Many people are tire of wars and southerners think their fate will be the outcome of the referendum and the people must be ready to acknowledge the outcome of the referendum so that there is no more return to the war.Recently,the Head of the Evaluation and Assessment Committee Mr.Plumbly reassured people that the referendum will be held on time.
The election(campaign) has brought people to meet their leaders face to face.Some of the leaders who work in the Government of National Unity(GONU),the Government of South Sudan(GoSS),various States have now gotten time to go up to the villages to campaign and talk to the people at the grass roots.This has never happened.This has made these leaders or contestants who are standing for elective positions to clearly know what the citizens are facing,their demands and the solutions for their problems.In one of the Southern States,a candidate was to construct a borehole for the women complained that they have been moving over long distances in search for water.Insecurity,poverty eradication, fullest implementation of the CPA,women empowerment,Primary Health Care(PHC),Reforms of the civil service coupled with boasting employment opportunities for the people are some of the demands of the electorates and so on.I think this time services that have been lacking in some of the areas of Sudan will be served if those who will win will heed to their promises and not promising because of the election fever.
Thirdly,the election also portray a proper avenue of changing or giving a go-ahead for the leadership.Many voters have already told of changing their leaders who have been dormant during their stay in power,others talked of extending the leadership of other politicians because they still yawn for their services.The masses are now given full responsibility by the constitution to endorse(elect) the leaders,the leaders have been appointing governors,parliamentarians,legislators but because the Sudanese now treasure democracy,the common man in Nimule,Kassala,Kajo-Keji,Kordufan,Port Sudan,Damazin,Yambio,Abyei will make his/her appointment through casting the vote and please when the people speak out through the ballot,their say should be honoured by all the parties,independents,regions etc.
In essence,it also gives a good impression to the neighbouring countries,the Regional bodies(IGAD,AU,COMESA,Arab League),western nations like the United States of America,United Kingdom,France,Norway and the international community that helped brokered the peace deal that has led to today’s freedom.By remaining peaceful,they will continue to assist us in further healing the remaining wounds of the long civil strife and persist fulfilling the pledges made in the Oslo Donors Conference for Sudan in Norway 2005.So let’s all turn up in big numbers to cast our votes and we must remain calm and wait to hear from the National Elections Commission in declaring the results.We shouldn’t plunge the country once again in to violence.
The Author is a South Sudanese and a socio-political commentator. He can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected]