SPLM is likely to lose votes in lakes state

By: MonyAkolde Jok

SPLM will suffer a setback due to failure of few individuals who are the leading figures in Lakes State. Despite the past mistakes that have made the community discontented, to mention one example, burning of money without compensation, they, the cliques, went ahead with their old syndrome and corrupted the nomination process. The cliques thought they won the nomination process but indeed they have harmed the SPLM as a party and destroyed the little hope that was left. It is quiet painful to mention but it is a fact that the Sudanese at large should know.

When the National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced the names of applicants, it was clear that the independent candidates where almost in every constituency. This to my analysis is a clear consequence of SPLM Lakes State section failure to satisfy the public interest. The cliques in Lakes State SPLM office thought the 25 member committee was an end itself but forgot the fact that it was just a means of representing public interest.

The dissatisfied candidates know they are robbed of their chances by the mafias whose interests was to get as much money as the can and ensure their cliques are the beneficiaries of the nomination process regardless of the effects of the outcome.

In some constituencies, Rumbek-east constituency to be more precise, the majority believe they would rather vote for a dog than the SPLM candidate who was rigged in by the SPLM-Lakes state secretary general and the chairperson of the Lakes State electoral college after the constituency heard their favorite candidate won the nomination in the house.

One of three representatives from Rumbek East constituency revealed that Mr. William Ater got 12 votes, Mayom Akech got 9 votes and thirdly Magok Manyol got 3 votes but the mafias could not accept the results rather they took the three votes from the third person and gave it to Mayom Akech to equalize the votes. It swirled around Rumbek for two days that the two gentlemen were in tie votes but Meen Kuch and his comrade in crime Mathiang Keer confirmed Mayom Akech as nominee of the SPLM on claim that they were guided by their God of Rumbek centre constituency. With the decision of the Political Bureau, the same person was confirmed and therefore shall the people of Rumbek-East vote for a dog instead.

Furthermore, the same cliques chose to bring uneducated ladies in SPLM Women list. The educated ladies were all screened out but thank to them they have not joined any other party. In like manner, the SPLM candidates in Rumbek Center County are either illiterates or semi-literates.

This to some extent reveals the fear of the semi-literates, who are currently the key holders in Lakes state SPLM office, to give the liberal minded members a chance.

On the contrary, the candidates from different parties and the independent candidates are people with honor and now hold majority support due to SPLM’s disappointments.

To sum it up, almost all the constituencies, the lucky one is Yirol West constituency with an unopposed candidate, are experiencing the challenge of deterred internal democracy.

Though Deng maneuvered as an unopposed candidate, he heavily participated in corrupting the decision of the Electoral College through alleged bribery and political threats and therefore made his clique successful.   

In Cuie-Bet constituency, the political Bureau enforced a person who never applied for constituency geographical seat and above all a person whom the whole constituency believes as a disgrace to their society.

In Yirol East, Dr. Achol Marial who holds majority support was denied a ticket and therefore shall he win without SPLM support.

In Rumbek North, the discontented member of SPLM opted for independent candidate due to majority support he weighed underground.

Nevertheless, all the state parliamentary seats in Wulu County are seem to be in favor of independent candidates and members of different parties. Awach-rial and Yirol west state’s parliamentary seats face the same problems.

Above all, the gubernatorial candidate of SPLM has challenges that make his chances of winning slim. In the first place, he is a part of government that burned civilian’s money and a government that allowed the SPLA soldier to rape, killed and burned the houses of the same civilians he owes their support.

As if that sound so simple, the manner of which he was put on top of gubernatorial list, let’s call it centralism and sycophancy, makes it hard for him to convince the members of the SPLM to give him their allegiance.

Our challenge as members of SPLM is great. The selfishness and the ignorance of the SPLM secretary general will have to cost the SPLM as   a party:   The people of Lakes feel betrayed by the SPLM; the people of Lakes feel robbed of their loyalty to the SPLM; the people of Lakes feel discriminated by the members of electoral college who put the love of money above patriotism; the people Lakes feel abandoned by the SPLM; the people of Lakes feel the leaders chose money and neglected the future of our state; the people of Lakes feel SPLM is hijacked by the mafias whose personal interest override national interest; the people of Lakes feel they are forced to vote against SPLM.

Above all, the people of Lakes state have no confidence in the people presented by the SPLM. The good news is that people of Lakes will rally behind SPLM in supporting presidential candidate in both National Government and Government of Southern Sudan. it is vivid that only the unopposed candidate will make it in the SPLM Lakes state candidates.

Some of us who are committed members of SPLM and who are determined to take SPLM to the uppermost high are in a quandary-   

--- should we vote in favor of SPLM candidates and we weaken our future as a state and as a country at large, or

--- should we vote for independent candidates and we shall betray our party.

I’m worried the future is between the devil and the deep sea.