Democracy bus on tour in Southern Sudan

A Democracy Bus is bringing civic educators, musicians and actors to villages in Lainya, Morobo and Yei River Counties in Southern Sudan with information about democracy and elections.

The Democracy Bus arrving at Morobo Town in Southern Sudan 8 February 2010. Photo: Janne Bruvoll.

1 bus, 30 people, 5 weeks, 15 payams. This is in short the plan for the Democracy Bus tour that started 8 February 2010. A bus full of civic educators, musicians, puppeteers, Sudanese and Ugandan actors and Danish students tours Lainya, Morobo and Yei River Counties in Southern Sudan with activities and information materials informing the people about democracy and elections. The goal is to convince voters, particularly women and youths, to take active part in the Sudanese general elections in April 2010.

“As civil society organisations, we feel it is necessary to link the elections to the daily lives of people. This cannot be done by giving out information alone. It is necessary to involve the people in discussing why the elections are relevant to them,” says Eric J. Moses, manager of Yei Community Resource Centre. Together with another Sudanese organisation and MS Sudan partner, CEFORD, the resource centre has come up with the idea of the Democracy Bus.

“The whole purpose is to encourage people to take responsibility as democratic citizens. The bus will make it possible to reach a great number of remote locations, and hopefully attract many people who would not otherwise care about the elections,” Eric J. Moses explains.

Up to 12 March 2010, the Democracy Bus will visit about 20 remote villages in 15 payams in Morobo, Lainya and Yei River Counties, Central Equatoria State. The bus participants will present the following activities for the people present when the bus stops:

• Forum theatre (interactive theatre performances)
• Puppetry
• Debate cards and board games (educational games)
• Music and songs about democracy and elections
• Public debates involving the audience
• Information materials about democracy and elections are handed out
• Contests with prizes

The civic educators announcing the arrival of the Democracy Bus in Morobo. Photo: Janne Bruvoll.