GoSS asked to help returning students to cast their vote in less than a week
Reliable sources revealed that most of the Southern Sudanese students in Uganda did not register there but carried out the registration process in Nimule, Kajokeji and Kaya in Eastern and Central Equatorial States. The students said they are now making contacts with SPLM and other officials to facilitate their return to where they are registered to vote, so as to effectually participate in the referendum on 9 January 2011.
\”My bullet is my vote and I want to shoot it on the 9th of January.\”
Mary Akur
Mary Akur, a student at Kampala International University emphasised that she does not want to miss out voting in the referendum. \”My bullet is my vote and I want to shoot it on the 9th of January,\” Akur said. \”During the war, I never fought. This is my time to fight,\” she continued.
David Malish, a second year student in Makerere University Business School (MUBS) from Yei, registered in Nimule. He too is in urgent need of help to reach Nimule in time for casting his vote. He therefore appeals to the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) to help him go to where he has registered himself to vote.
A member of Sudan Peoples\’ Liberation Movement (SPLM), who was conducting door to door mobilisation of voters, stressed the importance of all registered voters casting their vote on 9 January 2011. The mobilizer added that all Southern Sudanese must vote so as to achieve the 60 percent threshold, thus avoiding the nullification of the whole process.
\”We can only end marginalization and underdevelopment through voting in the plebiscite. The South has been going through a process of development during the last five years and if we secede, development will move up (reach) the grassroots (as well),\” he said.
The referendum on secession is a result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between SPLM and the National Congress Party (NCP) in Nairobi in 2005. South Sudanese are largely expected to vote for separation in the referendum to escape years of marginalization blamed on the North.