Kiir drums up support for SPLM candidates in W. Equatoria

March 22, 2010 (YAMBIO) – SPLM leadership continued efforts to galvanize and drum up support for party candidates with a campaign tour to Western Equatoria (WES) by Chairman Salva Kiir Mayardit, who is also the SPLM nominee for president of the semi-autonomous government of Southern Sudan.

Salva Kiir and Governor Jemma Nunu Kumba toured Greater Mundri, Maridi and Yambio Counties in Western Equatoria State with his presidential campaign team on Monday, March 22, 2010.

Markets in Yambio were closed to allow citizens to welcome the president with what seemed almost hundreds of colourful vehicles and Bodaboda parading joyously. The campaign rally was graced with lots of traditional dancers from WES’s ethnic group and from neighboring states.

Chairman Kiir arrived at Yambio Airstrip with Yasir Saeed Arman, SPLM candidate for president of Sudan, Dr. Deputy Secretary Riek Machar, Secretary General Pagan Amum, Kiir’s campaign manager Dr. Samson Kwaje, Deng Alor, Anthony Makana, and many other senior SPLM dignitaries.

Kiir was warmly welcomed by WES citizens chanting “SPLM oyee, Kiir oyee, Arman oyee,” delighted to receive their president who toured the presidential villa and guest houses that were built for the CPA celebrations undertaken earlier this year.

Addressing the political rally at Gbudue stadium Yambio, Governor Jemma Nunu Kumba in her opening remarks assured Kiir that WES has taken its stand to support SPLM in the upcoming general elections.

Since March 17, Gov. Jemma has been campaigning as the SPLM candidate for governor in Greater Mundri and Maridi, where Kiir joined her on the campaign trail.

Dr. Riek Machar, Vice President of the Government of Sudan, said in an address that all the rapid development in WES is through SPLM, adding that SPLM has a mission for the people of WES and Southern Sudan at large.

Yasir Saeed Arman, the SPLM presidential candidate for the President of the Republic of Sudan, was overwhelmingly welcomed before addressing the supporters. Arman explained that he came to Yambio alongside Salva Kiir for two reasons: one being to launch his campaign as the SPLM candidate for the President of the Republic and secondly to take part in the SPLM campaign in the South Sudan.

He stressed that, it is Southern Sudan that has opened the eyes of other regions in Sudan, citing Darfur, Blue Nile and Nuba mountains.

He further stressed that his nomination is geared towards solving the issues of Southerners in Khartoum so that it should be called New Khartoum that will accommodate all Sudanese because it’s enough for Bashir to move out with all his genocides in Darfur and south Sudan. He finally urged all southerners to vote for Kiir who will guarantee the destiny of Southern Sudan.

Furthermore, Kiir assured WES that Arman’s nomination is based on his competence and commitment to the SPLM and Southerners. Kiir also narrated Arman’s profile to the entire WES that Arman was under his command in 1987 in Kurmuk, Blue Nile, and Western Equatoria
when Antonovs were bombing Yambio and Nzara, and he took part in leading efforts for the CPA in Nairobi qualifying him as the right person in the right place. He urged WES to make him have the upper hand in the upcoming elections against Bashir.

Kiir urged voters not to vote someone just because of personality, but vote for someone who has foundations and is a member from the SPLM ticket rotating the same message in Maridi, and Mundri counties. He also recommended not to fight any independent candidate, or any another political party during the campaigns and elections.

He reiterated that the SPLM party as the ruling party in the South will continue to build institutions of equality and justice in the Sudan.

Kiir also told the crowd that the downsizing civil servants was the plan of GOSS in order to save money for basic services in the South which has led to the decrease of workforce in the government.

He proudly noted the boom in the education sector in the South in the five years of SPLM rule in the South, saying now over ten million boys and girls go to school after the policy of free primary education for all.

President Kiir hailed the empowerment of women by the 25% of positions given to them and special programs for disabled and orphans.

He called upon the youth to wake up at this critical time as SPLM will continue to rule in generations to come. He promised to bring an end to the Lord’s Resistance Army and Ambororo disturbing people in WES.

In his final remarks at Gbudue stadium, Kiir cautioned WES people to abstain from election violence and art of tribalism during the campaign and polling day as all the political parties had signed electoral code of conducts for the forth coming elections which needs to be followed and the rest of the world that, SPLM is for respect of human rights.

The party chairman compared SPLM’s position among the other 16 political parties in the South, to that of an eldest child among many others. He said that “a mother names her children in different names, so people should know who their first born is despite having many other kids.”

He further addressed doubts about the January 21 civil disturbance at the end of the CPA celebrations, saying that Jemma was not responsible for the incident but the commissioner of police and the SPLA proper commander in the state are going to be investigated later by the Minister of Interior to find the real suspects and logic behind the harassment of students. He noted, however, that this does not mean they should be removed or transferred from the state but rather be judged in WES for them to access witnesses.

Kiir introduced all the SPLM candidates for different levels of Government to the crowd; among others present were, Anthony Lino Makana (unopposed), and Joseph Ngere Paciko, WES Deputy Governor and candidate for South Sudan Legislative Assembly (Party list).

(ST)