VZCZCXRO1764
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1165/01 2891011
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161011Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4575
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001165 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KPKO SOCI SU
SUBJECT: VOTER REGISTRATION STAFF CUT, POLITICAL PARTIES SADDLED 
WITH VOTER EDUCATION 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On October 13, the National Elections Commission 
(NEC) announced that it will cut its voter registration staff from 
10,000 to 1,500, a number which election experts say is sufficient 
to register only 40 percent of the eligible electorate.  The NEC 
also announced that political parties would bear much of the 
responsibility for distributing voter education and registration 
information; in response, the parties complained that they had 
neither the time nor the funds to carry out these responsibilities. 
Southern Sudan election preparation is behind schedule due to 
insufficient attention from the National Election Commission, lack 
of Southern representation on the NEC, and a severe lack of capacity 
and funding for the Southern Sudan High Election Committee. End 
Summary 
 
------------------------------------ 
INSUFFICENT VOTER REGISTRATION STAFF 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) On October 13, poloff met with Jerome Leyraud, Country 
Director for the International Foundation for Electoral Systems 
(IFES) and Renzo Hettinger, European Commission electoral advisor. 
Both Leyraud and Hettinger highlighted concerns that the NEC had 
reneged on the voter registration plan to which it had agreed with 
election advisors.  As previously agreed, the NEC had proposed 
hiring approximately 10,000 staff to conduct voter registration. 
The new plan, which the NEC is in the process of implementing, 
provides for only 1,498 registration staff for the entire country. 
The NEC did not give a reason for the change, but Leyraud and 
Hettinger suspect that the NEC realized it does not have enough time 
to hire and train 10,000 staff before voter registration begins on 
November 1.  The new, lower staffing level will likely result in 
registration of only 40 to 50 percent of voters, according to 
Leyraud.  The NEC declined to specify how voter registration staff 
will be hired, or according to what standards, the elections 
advisors said. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Leyraud and Hettinger stated they are disappointed that the 
NEC unilaterally decided on the new plan without informing or 
consulting technical advisors or the international community.  This 
incident has led to a deteriorating relationship between the NEC and 
election advisors, Leyraud and Hettinger reported. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
POLITICAL PARTIES HANDED LAST MINUTE RESPONSIBILITIES 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) At a political party workshop hosted by the NEC on October 
13, political parties were informed that they "share full 
responsibility" for voter education and distribution of registration 
requirements and information.  Despite having given the parties 
these new responsibilities, the NEC and Government of National Unity 
officials made no provision to provide funding to parties for this 
purpose.  Representatives of political parties expressed concern 
that there is not enough time to prepare for or raise funds to do 
voter education for registration.  According to the NEC, parties 
will not receive financial assistance. 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to Ray Kennedy, United Nations Mission in Sudan 
(UNMIS) Chief Electoral Affairs Advisor, as well as election 
advisors Hettinger and Leyraud, the NEC has yet to begin a voter 
education campaign.  The NEC insists it will begin a campaign on TV 
and radio, but that planning is still in the preliminary stages.  In 
addition, UNMIS is receiving reports from political parties in many 
states that the State Election High Committees are asking political 
parties to shoulder the bulk of the work. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
SOUTHERN PREPARATION SEVERELY BEHIND SCHEDULE 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) In a NEC technical committee meeting on October 12 attended 
by election advisors, the NEC acknowledged that while voter 
registration preparation in the North is "on track", they are not 
sure about the status of preparations in the South.  NEC officials 
also acknowledged that they had heard from officials on the ground 
that preparation is severely behind schedule, and that it will be 
impossible for registration to begin in the South on November 1. 
 
¶7. (SBU) According to Leyraud, the Southern Sudan Election High 
Committee (SSEHC) lacks the resources and capacity to prepare for 
voter registration.  SSEHC officials have told him that financial 
transfers from the NEC have not been completed, and they are 
confused about when and from where their funding will come. Members 
of the SSEHC also informed Leyraud that election preparation is far 
behind schedule, and that the SSEHC has been lobbying for the 
 
KHARTOUM 00001165  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
appointment of a Southerner to the vacant NEC commissioner seat. 
The latter opened a year ago following the death of the previous 
commissioner. According to the SSEHC, the Presidency in Khartoum is 
delaying this appointment. 
 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT:  The National Election Commission appears to be 
transferring responsibility for voter education to political parties 
as a way to reduce its accountability in the face of what could be 
an impending voter registration disaster.  Coupled with the reduced 
number of registration staff, this development seems certain to 
result in only a small portion of the eligible electorate being 
registered to vote.  Election advisors fear that when registration 
day comes, constituents will know little, if anything, about where 
to register, what identification will be required, and also lack 
other essential information. 
 
 
WHITEHEAD