Independent candidate Joseph Bakosoro extends his campaign to WES’s Greater Maridi Region

Independent candidate Col Joseph Bakosoro might be winning in the polls but he is yet to be optimistic about the outcome.   He told me this as he arrived in a convoy of 33 vehicles with Richard K. Mulla, Martin Tako Moyi and others from Bakosoro’s campaign team into Maridi.

Eye witnesses told SudanVotes that there were thousands of people waiting in Faraksika to receive Bakosoro. In Maridi town huge numbers of people waited under mango trees behind the football field to receive and listen to speeches from the independent candidates Adil Senderi, Dr. Richard K. Mulla, Joseph Pio, Alison Totto and Mr. Bakosoro. Supporters cheered by saying "Welcome our new Governor, welcome our new MPs. Adil Oyeee, Bakosoro Oyeeee, Independent Oyeee" and so on.

Independent candidate meeting in Maridi including Col Bakosoro and Adel Sandrai

Wearing tanned trousers, Bakosoro shook hands with voters along the campaign route as screeching Bodaboda (Local rider) motorcycles and elaborate floats rolled by. Bakosoro spoke of unity among the people of the state. He promised to revise the issue of downsizing the government if elected. He questioned how a government can dismiss teachers, close schools, dismiss doctors and leaving the hospitals empty and in ruins. This is not a real responsible government he said. He vowed that if elected, he will build a government which shall be responsible for its people and upgrade the standard of health services and promote education. If we cannot end our children to school, where is the future of southern Sudan and Western Equatorial State (WES)?

Bakosoro and other Independents who delivered speeches in Maridi said they were committed to changing the government in Yambio. The Independents stated that from Kiir’s deputy downwards, they want to see changes and new faces. The crowds were cheering by saying we need a new beginning in Western Equatorial State. “We need a government in Yambio free of tribalism, corruption and nepotism.”

Bakosoro stated that he would like to see a WES without a tribal system but all as citizens of WES.

He encouraged the youth to be thinking about the future and said the youth are the future of the state. He went on by saying everybody shall have the right to go to school and the right to health services. Mr. Adel stated that we have nothing against our elders. All what we want is a new change. And that the government seat does not belong to only one individual.

While in Maridi, his campaign team admitted that the SPLM holds large organisational advantages when it comes to getting out the vote in April, but said his common man tactics involving young and grassroots campaigning could lead to an Election Day victory. "Each place we go, people ask us for more signs, more brochures," the campaign team said. "Things are starting to go towards victory."

I spoke to some of Col Bakosoro's volunteers before his arrival into Maridi town. Mario Manuku, 57, of Gangara Asomuni, liked that Bakosoro would be unique from the incumbent governor, who is contesting on the SPLM ticket, saying she has poorly governed the state.

"I've never heard of the guy," Munuku said. "But I thought the pitch was pretty decent."

Bakosoro, a former Humanitarian activist and then SPLM official, spent the last week touring Greater Tambura and Greater Mundri in his campaign bus before reaching Maridi town.

For Bakosoro and his running mate, SPLM Candidate Jemma Nunu Kumba, it's their first stab at "retail politics" as candidates.

"I had no idea there were going to be so many people here," Bakosoro said at the rally.

Seemingly overwhelmed, Bakosoro turned to his campaign volunteers and said, "It's is not good for us to be just standing around. Let's try to figure out where we're headed."

After walking a few blocks through the heavy crowd, Bakosoro and his posse turned around and backtracked toward the cheerful, talking with more voters on the way. A few called out "Good luck!"

With the hour getting late, the campaign discussed scrapping another stop in Ibba County, 18 miles from Maridi on the Maridi to Yambio road.

In Maridi it was reported that there are a lot of threats against supporters of independents.

 However, in Maridi Col. Larvick Liwa from Division 5 warned against anybody who threatens one another, saying that any such threats should be reported to the police.

 Nobody has the right to threaten someone during the election. [We] are all sons and daughters of southern Sudan and should not treat ourselves as enemies because of politics.

 He stated that “he came from Juba purposely because there were a lot of reports about threats in Maridi and other parts of the state especially against independent candidates.”

 In Western Equatoria they are five candidates contesting for the state’s gubernatorial seat, Mrs. Jemma Nunu Kumba (Caretaker Governor and SPLM Candidate), Awad Kisanga (NCP), Bullen Ajal (UDSF), Natale Ukele (for MP of WES assembly and Independent Candidate) and Col Joseph Bakosoro as an Independent.

Independent candidates are poised to run serious campaigns for governorship and legislative seats in at least in WES’s 8 counties, a development that threatens SPLM fortunes in some of the star and most progressive-minded counties in the state.

In WES, Political analysts suggest that, an independent candidate is carving a sizable portion of voters out of his hide.