Union of Journalists in South Sudan or UJOSS Eastern Equatoria State branch, has on Wednesday elected new executive body.
James Kabaka Quintous won the votes by 62 percent, becoming the new Chairperson.
The office of UJOSS in the state has been dormant since 2016 due to the crisis that forced some journalists to quit profession.
Speaking after declaring the results, Ojok Francis, state Coordinator for CEPO tasks the newly elected members to work hard.
‘I really appreciated those of you who voted and those who contested but they did not manage and they accepted the results of the votes. Really I’m so much grateful, I only appeal to my new executives, we need to work hard we need to improve the system where there was gaps. We need to fill it, so we need to build that kind of coordination with all the sectors, the government, civil society, business and everybody including the security agents. We should all fill these gaps because we shall be having a key equal kind of problems. When we have this kind of good coordination, we shall minimize a lot of issues’ says Francis.
James Kabaka Quintous, the newly elected chairperson promises to work for transparency and accountability in the union.
He calls for cooperation amongst media practitioners so as to deliver quality information to the population.
‘There is nothing that is going to be done underground without being witnessed by everybody. What I mean here is that, we are going to work hand in hand, to ensure that we achieve the goal together. Attainment of the goal is not going to be for the team here alone, is going to be for every journalist who is here. So my dear journalists as professionals for this media fraternity, I would like to call upon all of us to cooperate’, he advises.
Meanwhile Magret Idwa Okuye, Torit State Minister of Information Culture, Youth and Sports calls on the journalists to build strong relationship among them.
She discourages laziness, calling on media personnel to commit to their profession and follow ethics.
‘Relate well with the journalists, relationship is very expensive, the moment you break your relationships with your counterparts you are finished and you will never get that relationships. Journalists, your cooperation to the new body, are you who will make this body work. It is you who will go to them and say ABCD, I know among the members today you are given a chance, but you will not be able to utilize that chance because some of you are lazy’, says Idwa.
The election brought together media practitioners from various media houses, civil society groups, government officials and other stakeholders.
The speakers made the remarks on Wednesday at Torit Guest house.