Five candidates up for Football Association’s president race

By John Agok

Five people have declared their intention to contest to become the president of South Sudan’s Football Association (SSFA) according to one of the candidates.

Speaking to Juba Echo, one of the candidates, Lual Maluk Lual reveal that, they are five candidates including the incumbent president, Francis Amin whose term will expire on May 17^th.

Lual said, he is the first candidate to declare his candidature before the public in Juba adding that the rest are yet to come out publicly.

“I expect the rest of the candidates to declare their candidacy later but I am aware of the people interest to run for SSFA presidency especially; Yohanis Musa Pouk Ngundeng, Peter Achuil, Gen. Agustino Madut, Francis Amin the incumbent president and myself.” Said Lual.

Lual also said there is lack of rules and guidelines that  the country’s football association can follow to combat corruption.

“I have to wait from the Minister of Sports who can lobby the lawmakers to pass such law that can be followed by the federation in combating corruption,” he added.

Lual is promising to fight corruption once elected into office, he says he will officially launch his campaign at Nyakuron Cultural Center on 1^st May.

“I will not answer all questions now but I will answer them well when launching my campaign come 1^st May,” Lual continued.

Meanwhile, the former deputy South Sudan’s Football Association president and the Co-founder of “Sports for Athletes”  Mr. Yohanis Musa Pouk criticized his rival Lual Maluk for allegedly bringing businesspeople to campaign for him (for Lual) and expecting them to run the country’s football association.

Mr. Yohanis argues that businesspeople should invest in football clubs but not take over the leadership of the association because they are not football experts.

“It is very unfortunate that, my rival Lual brought businesspeople alongside him to try to take over the top job at the football association, this job needs people with football experiences.” Said Mr. Yohanis.

The General Elections for the football association is scheduled for June, the incumbent president, Francis Amin has not yet declared his candidature but he has previously said he has achieved a lot at the helm of the football association.

Francis said his administration has successfully launched women’s league, which is recognized by FIFA, set up structures for men’s football which includes, the under sixteen (16), eighteen (18), under twenty (20) and the men’s national team.

He also says under his administration, the Buluk playground was upgraded and that the FIFA funded Juba Football stadium is in its final stages.

Juba Echo was not able to locate the other candidates for comments or to get their plan (s) for the football association if they were to be elected to head the institution.