South Sudan vows to conduct credible elections

January 17, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese electoral commission on Saturday it would hold free and fair poll despite fears the exercise would not be credible enough.

“Our role is in accordance with the provision of the constitution. I will organize the elections for the people to come and vote for leaders of their choice. We will not tell them who to vote. It will be them to decide. Our work is to organise and announce results,” Abednego Akok Kachuol, head of the commission, said on Saturday.

“Whoever will come, will be a reflection of the choice of the people, not the choice of the commission,” he added.

The chair of the commission said he was optimistic the country would hold credible polls, saying the electoral commission had discussions with various political parties regarding the forthcoming elections.

“We have been meeting the political parties and the security agencies and other stakeholders with all those who have interests in the elections to really work out the need for a peaceful election. We are guaranteeing the public and the international community that we shall be free, fair and transparent. We have also invited international and local observers to come in to observe our elections,” said Kachuol.

He urged the parties to sign the code of conduct to guide both the candidates and the political parties on peaceful conduct during the campaigns as well as election period.

Analysts say the polls, expected to take place between May and June, will not be hotly contested since allies of president Salva Kiir would not accept strong challengers.

“This is just a political rhetoric. How will the conduct credible elections when half of the population is food insecure and they will only mind about their own business, by going to look for wild fruits so that their children would have something to eat instead of going to waste time in elections so that those whom they will election get the power to come and kill them?” an observer said on Saturday.

“It is just a joke. Our people know well that the SPLM has always been a big source of death and a liability to them. It has never done them anything good [and] instead of appreciating them, it goes back to kill them. It has never been a people centered party,” he added.

(ST)