By Dak Buoth

Nairobi August, 2022 )In the wee hours of Tuesday 9th August 2022, Kenyans goes to the poll to choose their leaders for a third time in a row since the promulgation of the constitution 2010 thirteen years ago. On 6th August 2022, political campaigns came to a close after months of successful and peaceful vote hunting by aspirants vying for various presidential and parliamentary seats.
Election is not an event but a process that has four essential stages namely registration and verification of voters, campaign, voting, counting and declaration of results. The two remaining stages of voting and counting are crucial to this democratic exercise.
The way the campaign ended peacefully is the same way the outcome will be at the end of the day. I’m pretty sure and confident that this historical plebiscite will be peaceful. The peaceful outcome of this election will largely depend on the seriousness of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) that has vowed to conduct a free and credible election.
The just concluded peaceful campaigns will greatly attracts and motivates the registered voters to turn out in large numbers knowing that there would be no cases of skirmishes during and after the poll.
On 30th May 2022, I perused on citizen weekly a publication on the American report titled Worldwide Threat Assessment. It says and I quote ‘‘the agencies warn of the likelihood of poll violence given that none of the two leading presidential contenders-Azimio La Umoja one Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga, and United Democratic Alliance flag bearer and deputy president William Ruto is ready to accept the voters verdicts if defeated at the final presidential results.’’
I partly disagreed with these findings saying there would be violence because none of them will accept presidential results. The duo had worked together before and they are Nilotic brothers who shared some political ideals.
In any event, if one of them felt unhappy that the election was not carried out in the manner prescribed by law, the aggrieved party will approach the court of law.
As at now, Kenya has a functional judiciary that all Kenyans believe in. The manner in which contestants carried out their campaign devoid of any political violence demonstrate that Kenya’s democracy has come of age. Thus, i doubt if the report’s findings will come true.
I know Kenyans do not take this election exercise for granted. As someone who studied in this country, this democratic space that Kenyans are enjoying, was not given in a silver platter. There are gallant Kenyans leaders who toiled and moiled for Kenya’s second liberation that brought the Kenya’s new constitution to fruition.
I can mention a few of these second liberation stalwarts, and especially those who are in the race vying in this election. First, revolutionary Kogi Wamwere who is vying as an independent candidate for Nakuru County senatorial seat, second, James Orengo, candidate for Siaya gubernatorial position, third, Kiraitu Mirungi, gubernatorial candidate in Meru county, fourth, Peter Anyang Nyongo, gubernatorial candidate for Kisumu county, fifth Raila Amolo Odingo, Presidential aspirant vying under Azimio La Umoja coalition not forgetting Martha Wangari Karua who is a running mate to the Azimio la Umoja flag bearer.
Now as Kenyan decides, I wish them a good luck in this coming election. Those of us from South Sudan, who lack this democratic opportunity to elect our leaders cannot envy but enjoy and learn from this example. We should just try to be happy that our region has got a mentor whom we can emulate or imitate when it comes to matters democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law.
On 29 July, 2022, I was among the South Sudanese community leaders that were called to the Embassy by South Sudan Ambassador to Kenya Chol Mawut Ajongo. He briefed us on how south Sudanese in Kenya should conduct themselves during and after this election.
Ambassador Ajongo only told us to tell our people to exercise utmost precaution in spite of the fact that the election is likely going to be peaceful. In Nuer language we say ‘chi wan la dwal’ which means precaution is not cowardice. Therefore, he reminded us to do the following;
First, he urges the South Sudanese leaving in Kenya to do advance shopping so that on the election day they can remain indoors as voting takes place, second, he said do not send underage children for shopping, third he encourages us to avoid crowd and rowdy places, fourth, he strongly warn us to refrain from discussing and analyzing politics with strangers particularly on the streets, Fifth, Ambassador Ajongo encourages all South Sudanese nationals to leave unnecessary travels during and after this election. Sixth, he wants us to pray and wish our Kenyans brothers and sisters a peaceful election. On 30th July 2022, Ambassador Ajongo spoke at length about these points when he addressed the Liech Community gathering during the graduation thank-giving of Unity State minister of Land and public Utilities, Lam Tungwar Kueigwong in Nairobi. He emphasized very much on point number four saying that there south Sudanese, who by virtue of them being in Kenya for long time think they are Kenyans even when they do not have Kenyan identity cards.
Ambassador Ajongo, who is trained lawyer said by law we are foreigners, and that there are certain things such as this election that we should distance ourselves from. In addition to what Ambassador Ajongo pointed out, I would say that this is time to sit, watch news and read books or newspapers to acquaint ourselves of what will be transpiring during and after the poll.

The Writer is the Chairman of Liech community Association in Kenya, the views expressed here are his own, and he can be reached for comments via eligodakb@yahoo.com

By Staff

The leader United People’s Democratic Party, Hon. Wol Deng Atak has accused the leaders of the SPLM-IG, SPLM-IO, SPLM-FDs and other parties who signed the extension of their mandate to govern South Sudan of a coup against the nation. Hon. Atak reasoned that the mandate to govern a country could only be given to a group by the citizens. No group of people have such power as to unilaterally grant themselves right to govern a country. Hon. Atak says that “if a group of people unilaterally awarded themselves a mandate to govern the country, it simply means they are staging a coup against the people’s will.” He called on the organised forces to prevent the coup from getting further. “In this case, the organised forces and the people of South Sudan have the constitutional duty to stop the coup makers in South Sudan. The SPLM-IG, SPLM-IO, SPLM-FDs, and their accomplices who purported to have the power to extend the mandate to govern the country must be stopped.”

The United People’s Democratic Party said, “such pretence to unilaterally renew or extend the mandate to govern South Sudan simply does not exist. A group of people cannot claim to have the mandate to govern a country without the people’s consent.”

He argues that the peace agreement reached in 2015 gave the SPLM-IG, SPLM-IO and other political parties the mandate to govern South Sudan to dispute what he terms a hostage situation; and with a view of resetting the political system to default. Hon Atak also argues that the agreement gave legitimacy since it was meant to reset and followed by general elections. But, “unfortunately, the incumbents (parties to the agreement) chose not to implement the provisions of the agreement and instead engaged in sabotaging its implementation, engaging in rampant corruption and proliferation of small arms into the hands of the civil population. As a result, violence spread across four corners of the country, with children, women and vulnerable people bearing the brunt of violence and human suffering. President Slava Kiir Mayardit and 1st Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, and their associates have resorted to accessing the mandate to govern South Sudan through the back door again”, he said.

The leader of the United People’s Democratic Party said, “I call on all South Sudanese, Regional friends and International Community to unequivocally take action to tell the coup makers they must leave power. And that any sham elections will not be accepted. President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Dr Riek Machar must leave the power immediately”.

On the 22nd of August 2022, signatories to the Revitalised Peace Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan announced in a press conference that they have resolved to extend their mandate to implement the peace agreement for two more years. However, Hon. Atak criticised them for taking such a decision. “The mandate (to govern) cannot be attained through a resolution of closed-door meetings”. Adding that, South Sudanese have a duty to defend the constitution of the Republic of South Sudan when it is under attack”.

Security personnel in Juba have allegedly arrested two youth, who briefly staged a peaceful protest against high cost of living in the country.

The handful of protesters took to the street on Sunday afternoon, holding posters such as “We cannot manage water and sugar now! We cannot afford bread now! and Save our lives from hyperinflation.”
Others protested high transport fare and fuel price.

The young people were also demanding the unity government to address youth unemployment and insecurity.

According to some of the protesters, they were chased away by the security personal while protesting at Konyokonyo market.

“We organized the protest and when we were trying to move in Konyokonyo market, the policemen as well as the national security arrive and they caught two of our people,” said one of the protestors whose name Eye Radio withheld on safety ground.

He said the officers shot in the air to disperse them, adding that the whereabouts of the two young men is not known.

“One of the security organ who came and shot in the air and later on he caught my brother. So, we are urging the security organ whether national security or the Ministry of Interior who have apprehended them to release them.”

Efforts to get a comment from the South Sudan National Police Service were not immediately successful.

Source: Eye Radio 📻