Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement denied the claims that the party is hijacking the country’s projects to take credit for them as its achievements.
South Sudan has been implementing several projects, including road construction, the Juba solar project, bridges, the Juba power plant, and a water treatment plant, among others. Some of these projects are purely funded by the government, while others are done by partners.
However, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) and other parties have accused the ruling of seizing the projects and turning their launch into an SPLM affair to “deceive” the oblivious members of the public.
“SPLM is claiming everything to be their achievement, including projects done by partners; for example, projects done by partners are always included as their achievement, which is not correct,” Wani Yousaf, an SPLM-IO youth league leader, told The City Review in an interview.
But in response to the accusations, the SPLM Deputy Secretary for Political Affairs and Mobilization, Santo Malek, who also serves as acting information secretary for the party, said most of the projects in the country were initiated by the SPLM.
“All these projects, we started them earlier, before the peace agreement…these are projects of the SPLM. It is very clear, no one can doubt it,” Malek said.
Malek trashed the accusations, saying they were not founded in truth.
“We are not manipulating any project in the country; these are well-organized projects and programs for the party, and we are the ones leading these programs, and we shall continue to implement them,” he said.
Denies the rumours
“All these developmental projects, such as free primary education, road construction projects, clean water projects in Juba and the states, electricity, new schools, or hospitals, are all projects of the SPLM and in line with the party’s vision, and no one else can claim,” he said.
He added that the SPLM party had a lot of projects designed in all the sectors, such as education, health, and economic infrastructure, of which some are implemented and others are in the pipeline for implementation.
According to him, some projects are purely funded by the government, while others are supported by partners.
“Recently, we launched a water project that was implemented with help from friends, and this is also the SPLM project,” he said.
Malek claimed that most of the development projects being accomplished under SPLM leaders, whether at the national or state level, were designed by the party and in line with its vision.
“So we have planned projects for this county as the SPLM party, and these plans are the ones being implemented by our governors, ministers, and other officials in the government,” he said.
He challenged any party that wants to compete with SPLM to initiate and implement projects and warned them against talking about projects that were designed by SPLM. He also denied rumours that the party had been using public funds on its activities.
He added that the SPLM is working hard to ensure that peace prevails in the country.
The accusations come barely a day after President Salva Kiir launched a water treatment plant in Juba, meant to connect various households and eliminate the chronic water scarcity. The project was funded by the government and people of Japan. Just earlier this year, the President launched the construction of the Juba-Terekeka Rumbek road which will ease movement from Central Equatoria State to Lakes State upon its completion. This is not to mention the Juba Bor highway that opened up a floodgate of thriving business between Jonglei and Central Equatoria states.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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