Three out of the 16 payams in Magwi County, located in Eastern Equatoria state, have decided to boycott the annual SPLM Inter-Payam football tournament for peace. The tournament, which commenced on the 5th of this month, is slated to conclude on the 22nd, as per the Magwi County Football Association.
The participating payams, Nimule, Omeyo, and Mugali, have chosen to abstain from the event.
In a letter addressed to the Magwi County Football Association and obtained by Radio Tamazuj, Omeo, one of the boycotting payams, expressed apologies for any inconvenience caused, outlining various reasons for their decision.
“Our budget allocated for transportation, accommodation, medication, and meals for our players falls short of meeting all our requirements. The youth in Omeo eagerly anticipate their traditional initiation ceremony, marking the transition from youth to adulthood. This significant event is scheduled to take place over the next two weeks, involving the active participation of all youth, including our players. The initiation ceremony occurs only once every ten years,” said the letter.
“The Omeo community is currently grappling with deep sadness due to the ongoing detention of one of their members. The community had pooled resources, collecting modest contributions for the upcoming tournament. Regrettably, these funds will now be redirected to support our detained community members. Consequently, our players, coaches, and members of the Omeo Payam Football committee find themselves scattered and unprepared to confront their opponents in the tournament,” the letter added.
“Our son’s detention has prompted a shift in our priorities, diverting the collected contributions meant for the tournament to his support. This unforeseen circumstance has left our team ill-prepared to face the challenges in the upcoming competition,” it affirmed.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Akena Ponse Otto, the Chairperson of the Omeo Payam Football Association, who penned the letter representing the community, has confirmed their non-participation in the tournament. This decision is attributed to a financial crisis, ongoing initiation ceremonies, and the allocation of their limited funds to support Commissioner Otto, currently incarcerated.
Otto explained that the Omeo community lacks information regarding the status of Magwi Commissioner David Otto Remson and is uncertain about when he might be released from detention.
“This is truly a source of distress for us. Initially, there was a modest contribution intended to assist the football association in bringing the players to the field. However, the incident involving the son of the honorable commissioner has left our hearts heavy with grief. The community is still deeply affected, and their spirits are not in the right place. The community collectively decided that, given the circumstances, the little money they had gathered would be redirected to support the commissioner in detention. This includes providing him with food and other necessities to assist him during his time in prison. The funds were allocated for this purpose and are currently aiding him in detention. This was a unanimous decision by the community, reflecting their ongoing mourning for their beloved son still in custody,” he explained.
Otto also pointed out that the tournament’s organizers, the SPLM, have not provided full support. He remarked, “I have not observed any substantial assistance from the SPLM party. While some support in terms of transportation, medication (excluding feeding), is given to payams, the community bears the majority of the responsibility.”
Okullo Peter, the chairman of the organizing committee for the Inter-Payam Football Tournament in Magwi County, reported that the tournament is proceeding smoothly, despite the non-participation of some payams due to financial constraints.
“The payams currently abstaining have cited financial challenges as the reasons for their non-participation. Nimule, Omeyo, and Mugali are not represented, while Pageri is actively participating. Therefore, only three payams are not represented,” revealed Okullo.
Regarding the funding provided by SPLM for the success of the annual tournament, Okullo clarified, “There are specific responsibilities assigned to payams, such as mobilizing players, player transportation, and player meals. These responsibilities are expected to be fulfilled by the payams.”
In the previous year, Iwire payam emerged as the champions of the annual tournament.
In late last year, Commissioner David Otto Remson was transported to Juba for questioning in connection with allegations of involvement in the killing of two businessmen in Agoro. The two individuals were purportedly killed by a mob.
The continued detention of Magwi County Commissioner David Otto Remson and Oringa John, linked to the alleged killing of two businessmen in Agoro, has sparked protests within the Acholi community. Community members strongly object to any SPLM activity in the county, demonstrating their disapproval through protests against the presence of SPLM party activities in their community.
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