Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan’s exiled civil rights activist and government critic Wani Michael has accused the ruling SPLM party under President Salva Kiir Mayardit of using public money to funds its elections campaign.
In a tweet on Sunday, Michael questioned the source of funding for Kiir’s mega rallies for a second term in office. He asked why Kiir’s government is able to fund his campaigns but not the process leading to a free and fair elections.
“Where’s President Kiir getting all the money to fund his regional endorsement for non-existing Presidential election. Whereas the same government can’t fund the National Election Commission and processes meant to facilitate elections,” he wrote.
“SPLM doesn’t have money except they use the same government (taxpayers) money to facilitate such events,” he added.
The activist further said that Kiir’s group has “failed to differentiate between government and SPLM as a Political Party in terms of funding.”
Kiir is currently organizing a huge rally set to be conducted in Juba by his party.
His supporters in Greater Equatoria region are expected to celebrate his December 2022 nomination for president by the SPLM party in the upcoming elections set for December 2024.
It is not the first time for critics to question Kiir’s funding source. In July last year, First Vice President Riek Machar who doubles as leader of the main opposition SPLM-IO said Kiir’s party was using government money to campaign for elections.
“The SPLM has been using government money to mobilize themselves for elections and they say that they are ready for elections,” Machar told his supporters during the inauguration of the SPLM-IO General Secretariat in Juba on July 4, 2022.
“The red group has launched a big campaign program, it is their right to start a campaign but where do they get this money they are using for their campaign,” he added, referring to the SPLM’s red color T-shirt.
The prominent opposition leader who has not yet been nominated by his group for the election further demanded equal sharing of funds among political parties so that they could also well start elections campaigns.
“The SPLM should desist from selfish use of government funds for their own benefits. You should stop eating government money alone,” he jokingly said.
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