Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong Lojore, and other senior SPLM members in the state have endorsed the candidature of President Salva Kiir as the flag bearer and the party chairman in the 2023 general elections.
Lobong announced his support for president Kiir while addressing a crowd at a political rally in the state capital, Torit, on Saturday.
Since the beginning of this month, the SPLM party has launched a serious preparation for the election slated for 2023.
Mark Nyipuoch Ubango, a member of the SPLM Political Bureau, and Abuk Papiti Ayii, Chairperson of the Specialised Committee on Health at the National Assembly, backed the statement of the governor and suggested that the SPLM National Convention should be held in Eastern Equatoria State.
‘Ready for poll’
Governor Lobong who also serves as the SPLM Interim Chairperson in Eastern Equatoria State said they were ready for elections that would halt the transitional periods the country had been going through, depriving it of general elections.
He stressed that Eastern Equatoria State played a pivotal role during the liberation struggle and was fit as the venue for the convention, citing the 1994 SPLM Convention in Chukudum where the movement was rationalised, as well as the conference held in Moyo Sukun, the Civil Authority conference in New Cush, and the Kings and Chiefs conference held at New Site.
The SPLM Interim Secretary-General, Peter Lam Both, said the Eastern Equatoria State was the substratum of the SPLM and lauded the citizens of the state for their historical endeavours towards the liberation of South Sudan since 1955.
He said the party was working hard for the wellbeing of the citizens and that very soon they would commence mobilisation and registration in all the eight counties of Eastern Equatoria State.
Spreading roots
Last week, SPLM pledged to strengthen programs in Eastern Equatoria State as elections approach.
The Chairperson of the Specialised Committee on Health at the National Assembly, Abuk Papiti Ayii, said SPLM efforts would make the country very firm.
“We brought this country from far away, and we must join our efforts to make it stand firm,” Abuk said.
The SPLM Secretary for Foreign Relations, Bol Makueng, stated, “Torit is the legion of our history. History starts and ends in Torit. Therefore, we must feel and make SPLM strong here,” Bol said.
On Tuesday last week, the SPLM Secretary for Political Affairs and Mobilisation, Kuol Atem Bol, boasted that the party was united.
He accused other political parties of alleging that there were power wrangles within the SPLM ahead of elections in 2023.
“I want to refute some false information circulating on the social media that the party’s leaders have [been] divided over the position of the chairperson,” Atem said.
“I want to assure the general public, our members and supporters that the information is not true.”
Atem said SPLM was willing to ensure that the citizens choose whom they wanted to lead them.
“The election is the right of the citizens. I condemn that, and I want to tell our people that there is nothing of the sort at the party’s headquarters. Let them not accept any social information because all the information is void of truth, “Atem added.
Winning foretold
Dr. James Wani Igga, Vice President for Economic Cluster and SPLM Deputy Chairman, while addressing SPLM diehards in Western Equatoria State weeks ago, called for unity within the party to win elections in 2023.
“We need unity. Let us forget tribalism. If we do not bury tribalism, it will bury us. We must bury it before it buries us all over South Sudan, “Dr. Igga advised.
“Elections are coming up next year and the first goal of any political party is to maintain power, and I want to assure you that on a level playing field, in a fair game of elections, we, the SPLM, will capture this power, but let us not take it for granted,” he said.
Weeks ago, the R-JMEC Chairperson, Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai said, “Looking ahead, particularly in view of the holding of elections at the end of the Transitional Period, the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) must complete the Transitional Security Arrangements.”
Get priorities right
Gituai said that prioritising the implementation of the critical chapters in the agreement was vital for the holding of free and fair elections.
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