Two familiar political figures, Ezekiel Lul Gatkuoth and Rebecca Joshua Okwaci, have reportedly lost their bids in the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) primaries, as new contenders emerge in the party’s internal selection process ahead of the December 22 general elections.
Gatkuoth lost the contest for the National Legislative Assembly seat representing Longechuk County, Constituency No. 12, after receiving 44 votes against Gach Wuol Guandong, who secured 131 votes, according to the reported results.
In a separate contest in Upper Nile State, former SPLM chief whip and veteran lawmaker Rebecca Joshua Okwaci reportedly lost to Yoanes Abon in the party’s primaries in Panyikang County on Thursday.
The reported defeats mark setbacks for the two established political figures, while highlighting the emergence of contenders seeking to represent their constituencies in the next parliament.
The outcomes have renewed attention on the role of party primaries in determining who receives the SPLM ticket to contest in the forthcoming general elections.
For established politicians, the contests demonstrate that previous parliamentary experience and senior positions within the party do not automatically guarantee victory in internal elections.
The results also raise questions about the level of support veteran politicians retain among party members and whether emerging contenders can build on their primary victories to secure seats in the national legislature.
However, the reported outcomes represent only the party’s internal selection stage and should not be confused with the final results of the general elections.
The SPLM primaries are internal party elections through which eligible party members select candidates to represent the movement in constituencies ahead of general elections.
The process is intended to determine which aspirants receive the party’s nomination to contest parliamentary and other elective positions under the SPLM ticket.
Winning a primary gives a candidate an advantage within the party’s electoral process, but it does not guarantee victory in the general elections.
The primaries are therefore an important test of candidates’ support within the party before they face the broader electorate.
With the general elections scheduled for December 22, the reported defeats of Gatkuoth and Okwaci add to the political developments emerging from the ruling party’s candidate-selection process.
For now, attention will turn to whether the newly selected contenders can consolidate their support and translate their internal victories into success at the ballot box.
