The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) says it has received 848 nomination applications from party members seeking gubernatorial, legislative and administrative leadership positions including 209 women in its primaries ahead of the planned general elections.
SPLM Secretary-General Akol Paul Koordit disclosed the figures on Friday following a five-day nomination exercise conducted at the party’s National Secretariat in Juba from October 5 to 9.
According to Akol, the party received 133 applications for gubernatorial positions, 23 for chief administrator positions, 417 for geographical constituencies, 114 for the Party List and 161 for the Women’s List.
Of the 848 applicants, 639 are male and 209 are female, according to figures released by the party.
The nomination exercise generated 2.544 billion South Sudanese pounds in fees, Akol said.
On academic qualifications, the figures show that 343 applicants, representing 40.4 per cent, declared that they hold bachelor’s degrees, while 261, or 30.8 per cent, reported having master’s degrees.
Another 121 applicants, representing 14.3 per cent, indicated that they hold diplomas.
The figures further show that 66 applicants, or 7.8 per cent, have secondary school certificates, while 37, representing 4.4 per cent, reported holding PhDs.
Nine applicants, or 1.1 per cent, declared postgraduate diplomas, while three, representing 0.4 per cent, indicated that they had attained primary-level education.
Eight applicants, equivalent to 0.9 per cent, did not indicate their academic qualifications.
Akol said the SPLM would prioritise education when selecting its candidates for the next parliament, arguing that lawmakers need the knowledge and skills to formulate policies that support national development and post-conflict recovery.
“Education is fundamental in our eligibility criteria this time,” he said.
He added that South Sudan needs competent lawmakers capable of developing policies to rebuild the economy, promote social transformation and strengthen governance.
“We need members of parliament who would fight tribalism, regionalism, and ethnicity, and bring good governance, transparency, and accountability,” Akol said.
The SPLM secretary-general also urged applicants who declared their academic qualifications during the nomination process to submit copies of their certificates to the party’s high-level committees operating in the states.
He said the verification process would enable the party to confirm applicants’ academic backgrounds and validate the qualifications they declared during the nomination exercise.
The verification of academic credentials forms part of the party’s preparations to select its candidates for the various positions ahead of the planned general elections.
The outcome of the SPLM primaries will determine which applicants secure the party’s endorsement to contest the respective positions in the elections.
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