Mistrust of members and diversion of facts are always derivatives of electoral fraud
7 min readMistrust of community members, diversion of facts are always derivatives of electoral fraud: The case of Kuac Youth Union in Juba
By Abel Amet Amet, Juba, South Sudan
April 22, 2017 (SSB) — It has come to my attention that some individuals within members of youth of Kuac Community, whether knowing or unknowingly have allegedly implicated me of the debacles attributed to the electoral failure & consequential call off of the Kuac Youth Union electoral processes in Juba-freedom Hall dated 16th April 2017.
On the false ground, that the allegation of the polling process had been disrupted by me arguing that I failed to know the membership and eligibility of two community members of youth present in the congregation namely Mayom Mathuc and daughter of Dr. Kuacdit; but were successfully allowed to vote. So accusation was that, I disallowed them forcefully not to exercise their social and political rights – a fundamental rights provided for in many international charters, South Sudan Constitution and Constitution of Kuac Youth Union in Juba.
It was further alleged that I have emotionally torn up the ballot paper of daughter of Dr. Kuacdit, and forced her out of the meeting hall and later attacked violently my colleague comrade Atem Wol Tong who managed the campaign of candidate Aguer Manyuat Akeen all of which was a fabricated lie.
However, I feel it is of great concern and so would like to share with you all my colleagues, entire youth of Kuac community and of neighboring communities that nothing of such kind has happened only that it was politically motivated, aimed at tarnishing my personal image.
What transpired exactly?
The electoral Committee announced the start of polling process exactly at 6:20PM after voter education and request for observation of all electoral laws including eligibility of voters. Three of us (myself, Mathuc Manyuat Wek and Atem Wol) each for a candidate had just been told to monitor the process and identify who is eligible and ineligible voter (under & over voting age, non-members and many others) and that in case we fail to know someone; then such person would be set aside for further investigation and clearance by witness (es) and electoral Committee.
After a number of voters voted there came two people whom we failed to know, among them was a boy who claimed to be of pathiaan clan from Wunkuel village. As agreed Atem told that the boy to be set aside pending further testimony by any witness later on and we all accepted. Thereafter a girl whom I fail to know came and we asked her to sit aside. Just few minutes later there came a relative of this girl who identified her as daughter of Dr, Kuacdit and we all allowed her to vote.
The voting process went on well until 8:10PM when a group of dancing women of Tiger Division from Military barrack which is commonly known as Ghiada Junubia and whom I have sufficient evidence of their non-membership in Kuac Community appeared on the voting table suspiciously. Knowing them as non-members, I interviewed one woman who identified herself as Achol Deng from Jonglei and who claimed to have been married to Kuac citizen by name Akec Awen Deng, as she looked suspicious and frightening.
Despite my knowledge of who Akec Awen is including the whereabouts of his wife currently, I referred a woman to one of Akec Awen’s colleagues with whom they stayed together in the military barrack but who denied not only that woman having married to the named community member but all women in attires inside the voting hall have no any relationship with Kuac Community.
From that point I asked those women in uniform to sit aside like other people whom we firstly could not verified until such time we have other witnesses to testify their eligibility and added that polling could continue as normal.
In protest, my colleague Atem Wol Tong could not hesitate but rose higher insisting that these women must vote otherwise polling can be suspended. I advised that let us not complicate the process but rather be flexible and compliant. Fortunately, Sultan Awer and Apuk Agor emerged and seconded my suggestion that the women should be set aside so as to give polling a chance to continue.
In continuity, brother Atem could not accept the suggestion ‘citing delay of these women until verification period has no legal ground and that they should be allowed to vote failure to cooperate means suspension of the election, he repeated it firmly’
It was in this development that supporters of either sides appeared in the scene trying to support our respective opinions until voters who were in the line outside broke into the voting hall; hence the disorganization of the election process.
Noticing that election was about to be suspended as he seriously suggested and partly on the account of his persistence on ineligible voters (woman groups from Tiger Division); and that it might negatively impact and implicate him, he hesitated no further to call police privately through Ayok Ajiek Manguem claiming that I have violently attacked him, and so police could briefly detained me.
It is widely believed that my temporary detention was aimed at diverting the attention of the public from the focus and was a devised mechanism of distracting the originality of facts, disowning electoral fraud caused by someone at the expense of my own self-image.
Getting back to our respective erstwhile social background and intimacy in the community; one could conclude who between us – the accused and the accuser can emotionally attack who and under which circumstances. I may leave that for analysis and consumption by our community members and nearby community members who may for one reason or the other know us best.
Giving appreciation and apology to where they are due and no matter what future these twin statements may hold it therefore imperative to note and share publically my heartfelt apology to Kuac Manyuat Alol whom I have firstly accused of my arbitrary detention and as well appreciate Atem Wol Tong for publically admitting it was him who engineered my attempted arrest.
On Monday, the 17th of April 2017, I thought of suing 2nd LT Mayen Ujuol who ordered my detention to tell me why he did that and who was exactly behind my detention but now have suspended that legal process for I have found who influenced him and why.
Having shed light on what were practically happening and why had they happened; it just left me with nothing but few questions whose answers may benefit me and the public and they are:-
- Who in Kuac Community have married to those dancing group of women in Tiger Division? I believe not more will claim ownership of those women especially those who came with drum on the Election Day otherwise may attract my apology to the affected citizens including Akec Awen.
- If no, then why do we mistrust our eligible members within Kuac Community to the extent of secretly inviting different people from other communities to vote for us?
- If it becomes a practice to give such non-members a chance to vote; then what kind of leadership will they select for us and will they be provided with equal social services expected ever from every leadership?
- Who can really be held responsible for the electoral failure – the presiding committee, candidate agent who insisted on voting of non-members or candidate agent who wanted participation of only eligible members or both?
In conclusion I want to spell it out clearly to all members of Kuac Community and members of neighboring Communities that the bone of contention on which we (candidates’ Agents) had slight misunderstanding was the dancing group of women who came from Military barrack/Southern Sector but not the other way round as it is being incorrectly translated.
In presence at the scene were public figures and highly respectful community chiefs who can give testimonies on the subject matter and these are PLP Chairman, Mayen Wen Majongdit, Sultan Awer, Campaign Manager Mathuc Manyuat Wek and all EC members. I was only fighting for electoral fraud and deception which was later resisted by those who knew the existence of women in question in voting hall.
The author, Abel Amet Amet, is a 2nd year Student of Biology and Chemistry /College of Education – University of Juba and a member of Kuac Youth Union -Juba & Former Campaign Manager of candidate Emmanuel Agany Akec, for the Chairmanship of Kuac Youth Union Juba. He is reachable at: abelametamet@gmail.com; Mobile phone: +211 950 060 073.
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