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WES’s Independent candidate deplores raid on his office in Maridi

March 18, 2010 (MARIDI) – Security Forces in Maridi raided and shut down the offices of Western Equatoria State’s Gubernatorial Independent Candidate Joseph Bakosoro, his campaign Manager reported Thursday.

Joseph Bakosoro, speaking to his supporters who wave mango leaves and branches in Ezo (ST)
Joseph Bakosoro, speaking to his supporters who wave mango leaves and branches in Ezo (ST)
The raid occurred one day after Bakosoro drew mammoth crowd in Maridi during a campaign rally, attended by other Independents for various seats in WES.

Joseph Bakosoro, former SPLM official, is seeking WES’s governorship in the upcoming April 2010 General elections. He is the principal challenger of the former governor and state caretaker Jemma Nunu Kumba, the official SPLM candidate.

The Campaign Manager, Angelo Bakote Mboringba said the office was searched, supporters detained and seven vehicles impounded at the local police station in Maridi. Visitors who approached the office to see scenes were told that the office was closed, Bakote said.

Security forces stormed on Thursday morning, at 09:55 am local time, stormed the compound where the Western Equatoria independent candidate, Joseph Bakosoro, and his campaign team in Maridi.

“This morning in the place I slept I found two SPLA military police entering the lodge. They disarmed my two police bodyguards and begun searching my room. All of us took cover,” the independent candidate said in statement to the local reporters.

He further said ignoring the raison of this raid and the arrest of his bodyguards.
“I didn’t know what the search was for. And why they disarmed my police who were given to me officially by the commissioner of police in Yambio. As we were trying to move and see the situation, our six vehicles were taken to the police station and were detained including the one I was driven with. But they were released later after talking to the police. ”

He said concerned for the whereabouts of his police escort adding he had reported the incident to the military commander in the area “because this is a violation of elections rules.”

Bakosoro confirmed that, the authorities in the state were aware of his campaign schedule.

“I have a timetable which I submitted to the police and the army commander and I handed it over in Maridi. Also in all the counties I am visiting I have been passing on this information. As I was leaving Jambo for Maridi yesterday, I told my supporters to inform the police about the rally we launched yesterday. So the information was with the police.”

Another Independent candidate for the Maridi constituency, Adel Sandrai, has accused the SPLM in the state of using the security forces to intimidate opposition candidates in Maridi, reports Sudan Radio Services from Nairobi.

He lamented that, “What’s happening here in Maridi is politically motivated and they are using the army and the police to obstruct our campaigns.”

Sandrai said if the SPLM finds the independent candidates doing something wrong, the southern Sudan ruling party can take the issue to the National Election Commission.

(ST)

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