[OPINION] – Kakuwa Election Results Position

By Jacob Aligo Lo Ladu

My dear beloved Kakuwa people,

It is with great joy and pride that I take this historic moment, on behalf of our TNTN campaign team, to congratulate you for your choice of leadership during this landmark 2025 community election.

We also wholeheartedly congratulate our brothers in Team Kakuwa Power (TKP) and the winners of this year’s election, who have earned the trust and confidence of the majority of the Kakuwa who participated.

As a community, we should be proud of ourselves. We have once again broken a record that defines who we are when we mean business, by conducting fair and free elections. Even though there were some minor challenges, these can be overcome next time.

The outcome of this election is not simply about choosing leaders. It is a testament to the desire of our people to exercise their inalienable right to select leaders of their preference, whether at community level or at the national stage.

What happened this evening at Nyokuro Culture Centre will resonate across South Sudan. The successful conduct of the Kakuwa election is a historic victory for democracy and for all Kakuwa people, both near and far. What matters now is meeting the expectations of our community by offering leadership with vision and determination, leadership that will put our people on the path to unity, peace, reconciliation and progress.

We must ask ourselves some difficult but important questions. What exactly are our strategic interests as a community? Why has our land remained in conflict and underdeveloped for nearly 70 years, since 1956? I trust that our brothers in TKP will help lead the community in answering these questions and in finding lasting solutions to the challenges we face.

I also hope that Team Kakuwa Power will take the decision of the electorate in good faith and lead us as one united community, despite some of the unpleasant exchanges during the campaign.

As TNTN, we wholeheartedly accept the outcome of the election and respect the will of the people. Our view is that this election must be seen as an exercise to allow members to make decisions about their lives, interests, desires, and aspirations.

To our brothers in TKP, I hope your victory will bring the best for the Kakuwa people, especially now that the storm of the campaign season has passed. It is time for us to re-emerge as one family, working together to move our community forward.

Managing the affairs of the Kakuwa is a collective responsibility that requires contributions from all of us, just as we would have expected had TNTN won the contest.

Elections are a decision making process through which the larger community delegates power to a few individuals to lead on their behalf. This is the very essence of democracy and democratic governance.

Before I conclude, I want to thank the incredible TNTN campaign team under the vigilant leadership of my brother, Agele John Lomodi, and the entire crew. They worked tirelessly, day and night, mobilising resources, planning strategies and ensuring that democracy thrived in our community. Their commitment was remarkable, and for this, I extend my deepest gratitude, regardless of the election result.

From this day forward, the real work begins. The celebration is over, and now it is time to serve the Kakuwa community diligently. Our new leaders must manage expectations and meet the aspirations of our people. It will not be easy. The journey ahead is not a bed of roses, but with unity, determination and commitment, we shall overcome every obstacle.

Finally, I call upon all Kakuwa people, wherever you are, regardless of your affiliations, to leave divisions behind. Let us unite under one banner of peace, reconciliation, forgiveness and healing.

Only through unity can we bring lasting peace and sustainable development to our suffering land and people. This is the strategic path that will reshape the destiny of our community, against all odds.

God bless you all.

Jacob Aligo Lo Ladu

Jacob Aligo Lo Ladu is a Member of Parliament representing Yei River County in the Central Equatoria State Legislative Assembly. He also serves as State Minister for Peace Building. A senior politician in the state, he contested in the 2025 Kakuwa community chairmanship elections.

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