SPLM’s decision leaves confusion in southern streets

Since the weekend, I have been travelling the streets of Yei and the surrounding rural areas and I have witnessed a massive disappointment and disillusion in the people with the withdrawal of the SPLM from the elections.

Election posters like the one in my picture, are still covering the town telling us to “Come and Vote in April”.  But now what are we supposed to do with this message that empowered so many across Yei and surrounding regions? I spoke to grassroots SPLM supporters and most of the people feel they have been let down and betrayed by their leaders. People are now starting to doubt them. They are wondering if we really have true leaders.

Leila Nyoka from rural area Wuluturu

Leila Nyoka of Wuluturu told me: "I have no reason to go and vote. They are all  just confusing us!" She went on to say, "even if you vote it would be a waste of time. We will never have a good leader like the late John Garang."

Those people like Leila, living in rural areas, have no access to TVs and radios as ways of getting news. She told me how she feels she is left in the dark.

Yesterday I moved around Yei town visiting different NGOs.  And I realized there were few people remaining in the NGO compounds. Out of curiosity I decided to ask where some of the staff had gone. The only answer I got was, "international staff have already left."

The decision of the SPLM to withdraw from the elections has undoubtedly created a lot of tension amongst the people living in Yei and perhaps this tension is having an affect on the international staff who appear to be leaving town. Do they know something we don't? Since the weekend there has been increased speculation that the up coming elections would erupt into full scale violence. And now that SPLM has withdrawn from the elections, the speculation is growing much deeper amongst the people of Yei because the foreigners are starting to leave town. Do they know something about the future that we don't? Perhaps foreigners here think they would be directly affected if the violence breakout.  Easy for foreigners to leave.  But our confusion remains.

International NGO Action Africa.  Why are their staff withdrawing from Yei?

Action Africa Help International based in Yei employs about ten international women and men.  But to my surprise I was told that most of them had already returned to their respective countries. And out of the ten only one is left. I asked one of the local employees, who requested me not to mention his name, why international staff had to leave. And he told me: "They are running for their safety. They think violence might erupt any time. They will return when the elections are over." According to the anonymous source, even the other staff who are still here in Yei are going to leave today or tomorrow. But Mr. Sheriff Manguro said this speculation about violence is not justified. He is the Resource Manager of the organisation and he said “these staff are just being sent to attend meetings on project planning in either Kampala or Nairobi."    I will try and find out if this is true or not.

Unless the SPLM clarifies the matter to the people as to why they had to withdraw from the elections, SPLM supporters will lose confidence in their leaders. And that will be dangerous for the SPLM and the whole country. The thing that should be on the minds of the SPLM leaders today is how to rebuild this confidence and trust that has been lost. The SPLM needs to direct the people NOW as to how to vote this coming Sunday. Otherwise people are in total confusion. They just do not know what to do.

This song is entitled SPLA by Southern Sudanese singer Dynamq.  

SPLM leadership please return your loyalty to the people.