The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Secretary-General Akol Paul Kordit during a press conference in Juba/ Photo credit: Awuou Michael

By Awuou Michael  

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has collected 2.544 billion South Sudanese pounds in nomination fees from 848 aspirants seeking party positions ahead of its internal primaries and congresses.

Speaking during a press conference in Juba on Saturday, SPLM Secretary-General Akol Paul Kordit said the nomination exercise, conducted from October 5 to 9, had attracted candidates for gubernatorial, chief administrator, constituency, party-list and women-list positions.

Kordit said each aspirant paid three million South Sudanese pounds, with the money expected to facilitate the party’s internal electoral processes and strengthen its financial capacity.

“The funds collected will be used to facilitate the primaries and congresses,” Kordit said, describing the exercise as part of the party’s broader resource mobilisation efforts.

He said the party would now focus on verifying candidates’ qualifications, screening their eligibility and ensuring that the selection process reflects SPLM values and principles.

According to the figures presented, the nominations include 133 gubernatorial aspirants, 23 chief administrator candidates, 417 constituency nominees, 114 party-list candidates and 161 women-list aspirants.

The figures show that 639 of the aspirants are men, while 209 are women, highlighting the gender composition of those seeking nomination through the party.

Kordit said the party would scrutinise the submitted names and documents before allowing eligible candidates to proceed to the primaries and congresses.

He urged aspirants to provide evidence of their academic qualifications, saying the party wanted candidates capable of contributing to policymaking, governance, and national development.

“Education is very important because our members of parliament must be able to formulate policies for rebuilding the state, transforming society and promoting good governance,” Kordit said.

The academic profile presented by the party shows that 343 aspirants hold bachelor’s degrees, 261 have master’s degrees, 121 hold diplomas and 66 have secondary school certificates.

The figures also include 37 candidates with PhDs, nine with postgraduate diplomas, three with primary education and eight whose academic qualifications were not indicated.

Kordit said candidates had been instructed to submit copies of their academic certificates to the party’s high-level committees in the states to verify the information provided on their nomination forms.

He added that the screening process would be conducted in line with the party’s eligibility requirements, stressing that candidates must demonstrate both competence and commitment to the movement.

The secretary-general also announced that successful aspirants would be required to sign a loyalty pledge before the primaries and congresses.

“The loyalty pledge is intended to ensure that all candidates accept and support the outcomes of the primaries and congresses,” Kordit said.

He warned that aspirants who violate the party’s code of conduct or reject the results of its internal elections would face disciplinary action in accordance with party procedures.

Kordit said the SPLM wanted to avoid a repeat of past disagreements, particularly those associated with the 2010 elections, and ensure that the party emerges united after the selection process.

He said high-level committees had already been deployed to several states to oversee the next stages of the exercise, including candidate verification, induction and the organisation of primaries and congresses.

According to Kordit, party teams were already on the ground in Abhiemnhom and Unity states, while additional teams had been deployed or were undergoing induction in Northern Bhar el Ghazhel, Warrap, Abyei and Western Bhar el Ghazal.

He urged aspirants who registered in Juba but intend to contest in their constituencies to go to their respective areas to take part in the next stages of the process.

“The process must be transparent, credible and guided by the values of the SPLM,” Kordit said, calling on party members to respect the procedures and support the eventual winners.

The party says the internal selection process will continue with state-level nominations, screening, primaries and congresses.