By: Ateny Wek Ateny
Juba, June 21st, 2025.. The the Sunday, June 15th, 2025’s Twi East Youth Election might have been unprecedented in the history of this nation communities’ democratic process. It was a big challenge to other communities who do not think, progress on how competition between two or more people in one given position is a duty of everyone in the society. But, Twi East Community is a very progressive and innovative society. I am honored— having been involved in witnessing their endeavors to embrace democracy.
The recent Twi East Election has proven beyond reasonable doubt, that our people can and could be democratic, if such process is replicated in every community. Thus, democracy could be achieved through backdoor — and through communities’s democratic process. The government can too be democratic, if its people are able to understand democracy. We can start small and grow big with time.
The Government Elections Commission Chair, Prof. Abednego Akök Kacuol was there during the public debate between candidates on Saturday, June 14th 2025, prior to voting on Sunday. I was also there as Moderator. Prof. Abednego Kacuol and I were impressed.
I never saw such a free and fair elections in our country since the creation. I have seen such electoral process and have voted on it only in Europe. So, the recent Twi East Youth elections have provided an opportunity akin to a beacon of European electoral process in South Sudan. I had the opportunity of witnessing similar elections in Twi East Youth and Bor Youth Associations consecutively in 2022. However, in just two years, the electoral process in Twi East developed to unprecedented level.
The free and fair elections in the democratic societies, are not determined by the level of the winner’s celebration, but by the ability of the loser conceding defeat without dispute. And this was what I saw in Twic East Youth Association recent elections. I was astonished to see the level of maturity the 4 losers of that elections who conceded defeat without any contradiction.
My respect to the 4 candidates who have solemnly conceded defeat without reservations; Mr. Bul John Ajak of Twic East Youth Vision for Inclusive Development; Abraham Dut Atem Malek of Twic East Alliance for Development; Jacob Kuot Jok Biar of TEYSA; and Adire Simon Deng of Twic East Network Alliance. There is always next time.
Congratulations to William Deng Kuir Bul (Deng Jr) of Twic East Forward for having finally won the elections at long last. Deng Jr deserves this term and I am sure, he will start from where Mr. Arok Dut Arok stopped from.
Logistically, the recent Twi East youth elections was in fact one of the most expensive community elections ever taken. How it was funded — God knows ? It is another big challenge for other communities to find means of running such expensive community elections. Besides, each tenure in office requires some achievements in the filed of education and health. Many communities would be surprised when they see schools and vocational centers constructed by Twi East Youth self reliance, competing countrywide. While everyone is waiting for government services, Twi East have started to first serves herself.
It is not easy for other communities to fund their own elections. This is another commitment I must commend Twi East Community for showing unprecedented generosity.
Moreover, Twi East community stand amongst some of the most highly distinguished and disciplined society. During the recent elections debate to which I had the honor to moderate, I could see the crowds of estimated 15,000 — 25,000 people laughing and ululating at once and stop making noise at once to listen to the speech. This is very rare in our communities. This is also unprecedented crowd discipline. In Bahr El Ghazal, such disciplined crowds is found in Twic Mayardit. There could be discipline amongst all communities, but some crowds are not containable. It is unfortunate and bothering somehow.
Finally, such practice by Twi East Youth is capable to be replicated elsewhere, if, our people are to become serious. And this is shouldn’t be limited to the community level, but also to the government level. The President has ordered the Ministry of Finance to avail funds for general elections — 2026. Imagine, General Elections without population census, and the Constitution. It will be a topic for another day. Otherwise, Twic East Youth elections has gone to history is the most free and fair in the country.
The writer is the former Press Secretary in the Office of the President of the Republic of South Sudan and the views expressed in this article are his own. He could be reached by email; atenypiokerwek@gmail.com
