Bishop Hiiboro: 'Voting is Essential for Democracy,' Calls for Church-Led Voter Education in South Sudan
Bishop Hiiboro: 'Voting is Essential for Democracy,' Calls for Church-Led Voter Education in South Sudan
By Baraka John
Addressing the staff in Curia shortly upon his arrival from participating in the catholic bishop’s conference on South Sudan's anticipated December elections, Bishop Hiiboro noted that as talks and preparation for the country’s election is ongoing, the catholic church found it necessary to share experiences and see how elections civic education can be conducted to the citizens to understand the process.
Bishop Hiiboro, who heads the Justice and Peace Commission in the South Sudan catholic Bishops’ Conference, says the electoral conference brought in members from the Association of Members Episcopal Conference in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) to share experiences on elections with the South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, with its vast experience on Kenyan’s elections.
“We do not have much experience on the election, and for sure we do not have much. What does it mean to vote, is it essential for you to vote, and why should it be necessary for you to vote? But it’s the right of every citizen to cast their votes. When you refuse to vote, you are depriving yourself and the nation, and that is why we have to prepare to create voter civic education to inform people why should election in the country and how they should be able to vote.” Hiiboro lamented
The CDTY bishop lauded the AMECEA team for the experience shared. “They came to help us what to do and what we as a church must do to contain if there will be a problem during and even after the elections.” He added
The training was conducted last month, in South Sudan's capital Juba, aimed to equip the coordinators across the Catholic Diocese in South Sudan on civic education and observer mission to enhance democratic participation and integrity.
In July, South Sudan’s National Election Commission, announced 22nd December 2024 as the election date as per section 16(1) of the National Election Act of 2023.
Prof. Abednego Akot Kacuol the NEC chairperson told the press that delays by the parties to agree on the elections have deferred the voter registration exercise which was supposed to have started in June 2024.
