By Ngor Deng Matem
Aweil Youth Union in Juba have expressed commitment to hold free and fair elections in March as it is being postpone from 26th February 2022.
The union’s speaker Mr. Angelo Baak Mawien said that 49 delegates representing five counties of Northern Bahr el Ghazal shall be the ones to vote for their leaders.
“Not every youth from Aweil in Juba will vote but only the nominated delegates representing all five counties of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state. There are 9 delegates in each county. They are the ones to vote and not everyone and therefore people should not assume that the election will be rigged, how,” Baak asked.
He added that the union is a non-political organization run by only the youth guided by the constitution and its policies.
Angelo Baak was responding to some youth who complained that the state government has politicized the election.
According to complainers, some politicians in the state have started threatening other candidates to step aside to pave the way for the female candidate to take over the next youth leadership.
“Candidate Gog Achuil is being asked to step-down to give a chance to female candidate on the condition that she is the preferred choice for the state government. We are also getting calls to vote for her or else she can be installed by any means,” some delegates in Aweil centre county complained.
Another delegate representing Aweil North County spoke on the condition of anonymity. He accused some politicians in the state of trying to rig youth elections.
“The union is an independent body; non-political organization and its delegates must be allowed to practice their democratic exercise for free and fair election. Now that is not the case, there are politicians who say whether by vote or any other means, a female candidate must be the next leader” the anonymous source said.
For his part, candidate Gog Achuil also confirmed he was getting appeals to step down as there is already a confirmed youth chairperson.
There are already three candidates contesting for the post of Chairmanship.
They are Gog Achuil, Abech Aleu and Deng Lual respectively.
In response, the Speaker for Aweil Youth Union in Juba Mr. Angelo Baak Mawien expressed optimism for a fair and free Election.