The kook community of Pacong Payam in Lakes State’s Rumbek East County on Tuesday elected Marial Majak Malok as the new paramount chief, who will also preside over an area court, replacing his elder stepbrother Sultan Awet Majak Malok.
The election results were announced by Elections Committee Chairman Akec Machek, who declared that the new chief garnered 5,000 votes.
“The most contested positions were the regional courts and the vice president. The remaining three positions were unopposed,” he said. “So, we declared Sultan Marial Majak Malok, who obtained 5,000 votes, as the winner of the chieftaincy position of Pacong Payam Regional Court.”
“The incumbent chief, Awet Majak Malok, disappeared because he was not ready to wait for the results of the votes, and we do not know if it was a personal decision or if he was asked to withdraw because he was carried away by his supporters like somebody who won,” Machek added.
For his part, Daniel Laat Kon, a civil society activist in Lakes state, said the elections started well but faced some challenges.
“The chiefs’ election process started very well, and it was a step that was welcomed by the communities, but there are challenges and concerns when some people were allowed to contest and later told their elections would be held at a later date,” he said.
Laat urged the government to discontinue the chieftaincy elections because they are causing disputes and conflicts among family and community members.
Meanwhile, John Malual Mabor, a member of the Kook Community, confirmed that they elected Sultan Marial Majak Malok as a new paramount chief of Pacong Payam regional court with overwhelming votes.
“There are no outsiders who voted,” he said. “The kook Community know themselves and cannot allow any outsider to vote.”
The Kook Community also elected Ater Madul Majuot as a deputy paramount chief of Pacong payam. He defeated Maker Maker Dhelbeny and Mapuor Riec.
“The members of Payam regional court are 5, including the newly elected head chief Marial Majak Malok,” Madul said. “The situation is calm and normal in Pacong Payam, and the results were widely accepted after the former chief, Awet Majak Malok, lost the elections to his brother Marial Majak Malok.”