Unity state’s Leek community in Egypt elects new chair in first ‘free and fair’ election 

JUBA – South Sudan’s Leek community of Unity state in Egypt has elected a new chair in what many hail as a free and fair elections since the community’s establishment in 2017.

Gatjuol Daang Luak – a student of computer science at an Egyptian university in Cairo – was elected as the community’s new chairperson, succeeding Kom Simon Manyrop, who has been in power for a year.

Mawich Bentiu Ruot and Jimo Lok Machar – both of whom are also university students – were elected as Secretary-General and Council chairperson of the community, respectively.

Speaking following the vote that took place on Friday in Cairo’s Ain Shams suburb, Daang said he will work with community elders and youth to unite the people of the community in Egypt and vowed to promote the community’s relations with other communities in Egypt.

“I thank you for the confidence you have given me and I am happy to pledge that we will work together as brothers, sisters as well as mothers and fathers to promote the unity of our people and do what was not done in the previous year,” he told cheering crowd.

For his part, Robert Gatgiy Nguen who had conceded to Daang said he had no complaint that the election was free and fair and urged his followers to support the newly elected leadership to advance the cause of the community.

“I congratulates my brother Gatjuol Daang Luak whom we have elected and urges those who voted for me to support him so that he succeed,” he said.

The Leek community association in the Arab Republic of Egypt was established in 2017 by Ruai Mayang, but no election has since than took place with subsequent leaders – just like Ruai himself – were chosen without elections.