Voter education needs to ensure South Sudan secession – W. Equatoria speaker

October 21, 2010 (YAMBIO) – The speaker of Western Equatoria state assembly said on Thursday that civic education ahead of the south’s self determination vote should enlighten voters so they chose independence from the north.

At the opening of Western Equatoria state assembly Bukulu Edward said that the most important task of the assembly was “to go to the various constituencies to enlighten the communities about the importance of the referendum for them to make the best option in voting for secession.”

Edward said that this session of the state assembly would witness historical events in the country.

In January the south will hold a self determination vote that may see South Sudan becoming the world’s newest nation.

Addressing the house the speaker said he had been ”instructed by the Government of southern Sudan that all the assemblies in Southern Sudan should continue normally till the referendum exercise is over.”

Each of South Sudan’s 10 states have a state assembly and governor.

In April’s election Col Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro was the only candidate not backed by, south Sudan’s ruling party to win a gubernatorial race.

Chosing Bakosoro, Bukulu said, came at the right time to address the challenges of the Ugandan rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Ambororo pastoralists who have been asked to leave the state.

The speaker said that the government was taking the issue of insecurity caused by the LRA and Ambororo seriously.

The state Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Awad Seid Kisanga said that the assembly reopening had “come at the right [time] so that the 2011 state budget, pending bills and ministries’ work plans can be addressed.”

He encouraged the honorable members to spearhead civic education about the south’s referendum.

The deputy governor, Sapana Abui, who opened the assembly on behalf of Western Equatoria’s governor, expressed his commitment to the reconciliation and unity of the state.

Abui said that, “trust has been built across the state that the current government is the government of the people, by the people and for the people for its commitment to serve WES (Western Equatoria state) equally without discrimination.”

He also announced he had formed a referendum task force headed to oversee the conduct of the referendum by providing security and to ensure that the exercise is “free and fair.”

(ST)