{"id":726,"date":"2026-10-09T11:09:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T11:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedawn.com.ss\/?p=726"},"modified":"2026-10-09T11:09:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T11:09:30","slug":"activist-calls-on-political-aspirants-to-prioritize-citizens-interests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedawn.com.ss\/?p=726","title":{"rendered":"Activist Calls on Political Aspirants to Prioritize Citizens\u2019 Interests"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Daniel Laat Kon the state coordinator for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization and the Chairperson of CiSON<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Anak Dut Malual<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lakes State-based civil society activist on Thursday urged on political aspirants in South Sudan to put citizens\u2019 interests and national welfare at the center of their political agendas ahead of the planned 2026 general elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a press release issued in Rumbek on Thursday, Daniel Laat Kon, the state coordinator for the Community Empowerment Progress Organization called on aspiring candidates to focus on issues affecting ordinary citizens and avoid using politics to advance personal or narrow interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe welcome participation as a sign of political will. However, we remind all aspirants that South Sudan is tired of politics that divides and destroys,\u201d Laat said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laat warned against campaigns that could fuel tribal divisions, incite violence, or heighten political tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said communities had already suffered the consequences of cattle-related violence, land disputes and revenge killings, while many citizens continue to face limited access to basic essential services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have buried enough youth in cattle-related violence, land disputes, and revenge killings. We have seen enough promises without services,\u201d Laat said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He called on politicians not to use communities merely to secure votes and then abandon them once elections are over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur message is clear: do not use our communities for votes and then abandon them later,\u201d he said, while urging candidates to avoid hate speech, tribal mobilization, and incitement during campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laat warned that political campaigns should not undermine the fragile peace currently enjoyed by some communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe little peace that some communities are enjoying should not be destroyed by your campaigns,\u201d Laat said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He urged candidates to focus their campaigns on key development priorities, including access to clean drinking water, roads, schools and healthcare facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe encourage aspirants to tell us how you will provide clean drinking water, roads, schools, and health centers \u2013 not how you will defeat your opponent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also called for greater political inclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities, stressing that meaningful representation should go beyond political slogans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInclusion is not a slogan. We want to see women, youth, and persons with disabilities in your nomination lists,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On accountability, he called on political aspirants to declare their assets and explain the sources of their campaign financing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny politician whose supporters engage in violence, hate speeches, incitements, or intimidation of voters and CSOs should be disqualified,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laat acknowledged that South Sudan continues to face significant governance challenges, but said the upcoming elections could provide citizens with an opportunity to demand accountable and responsive leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSouth Sudan is far from good governance, but elections are a chance to begin. Do not turn this chance into another conflict,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laat said citizens need leaders who can deliver tangible improvements rather than make promises during election campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cWe will continue to do civic education in villages, cattle camps, and payams. We will monitor campaigns and amplify grassroots voice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lakes State-based civil society activist on Thursday urged on political aspirants in South Sudan to put citizens\u2019 interests and national welfare at the center of their political agendas ahead of the planned 2026 general elections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_tdlc_coverage_id":0,"_tdlc_timeline_at":"","_tdlc_timeline_label":"","_tdno_assigned_editor":1,"_tdno_approval_notes":"","_thedawn_video_url":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[49,55,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-politic","category-southsudan"],"yoast_head":"\nActivist Calls on Political Aspirants to Prioritize Citizens\u2019 Interests - The Dawn Newspaper<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thedawn.com.ss\/?p=726\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Activist Calls on Political Aspirants to Prioritize Citizens\u2019 Interests - 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