Author: Chuol Jany
The Bishop of Tombura Yambio His Lordship Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala who is also the head of the Commission for Integral Human Development said the delay in announcing the timeframe of the election will not stop stakeholders’ preparedness.
This came during the training two-day workshops on civic Education and observer missions attended by the members of the Sudan/South Sudan Bishops Conference and Council of Churches.
The training is being organized by the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) to enhance democratic participation ahead of the upcoming December election.
Bishop calls for international support to enable South Sudan to conduct proper, fair, and credible elections.
“We need tremendous support in all angles, in all corners so that we get out in proper election which is fair and credible. Our citizens need to be taught even how to cast their votes, how to hold ballot papers, all these things we still do not know,” Bishop stated.
He said AMECEA’s common goal in the region is always to carry out the message of peace, togetherness, and love for one another.
Bishop stressed that the time has come for the people of South Sudan to choose the direction of this country by allowing them freedom of expression.
“The character of any giving nation is where people are choosing the direction their country, is where freedom of the individual is express and people desire to participation is express and you gives these to people they are grateful, you give this to people it meant you’re stabilizing their country. Here in South Sudan we never done these before” Bishop said.
The Coordinator for Human Integral Development at AMECEA, Fr. Paul Igweta Mungathia says the training intends to support inter-religious groups in building peace.
Fr. Paul stated that his organization is working with Bishops in South Sudan to learn from the countries who have conducted elections in the past and use their experiences to promote peaceful elections.
“Ours is to profile the voices of the Church which called the prosthetic voices that is now the Church is highly involved in the election and that’s why we shall carry out the civic education,” Fr. Paul said.