Reech Ring of Reform and Prosperity (left) and Arop Maluth Manon, of Advocates Alliance (right) - Courtesy

Two presidential candidates for the Bar Association have submitted their nomination documents to the Elections Committee at the high court on Thursday.

According to the chairperson of the South Sudan Bar Association Election Committee, justices Kulang Jeroboam, the election campaign for the candidates on the 22nd of May end on the 28^th and the election

the election polls shall be conducted at the high court’s premises in ten states and three administrative areas on the 29th of May.

The South Sudan Bar Association Election Rules and Regulation 2014 The candidate for the positions of president and vice president of the Bar Association must receive a recommendation from 100 lawyers

However, the election Regulation recommended that the candidate for the Secretary-General position receive support from 50 lawyers.

The two parties competed to represent the lawyers in the executive office for three years and are The Reform and Prosperity and their competitors Advocates Alliance.

The Advocates Alliance declared Arop Maluth Manon as their contester for Bar President Emmanuel Abraham for vice president and Stephen Martin for secretary General Position.

While, Reech Ring, Mut Turuk and Malish Stanley contested for Bar president and Vice president and Secretary-General Positions respectively from Reform and Prosperity.

Advocate, Arop Maluth Manon, from Advocates Alliance contesting the president Position says they are waiting for the 22nd of May to begin their election campaign.

“Today, we have come to submit our nomination form to the electrical committee and our supporters. They show up in solidarity with us in submitting this application,” said Arop.

“We are expecting on the 22nd the Electoral Committee to allow us to open a campaign whereby we will share our Manifesto and our program with our colleagues and start posting our posters and all our programs,” he said.

In his part, Reech Ring contested for Bar president of Reform and Prosperity and says the committee set some conditions for candidates for the executive office,

He explained to Eye Radio this afternoon at Juba High Court while submitting the candidacy form

“We are at the election headquarters in the Supreme Court to hand over the nomination forms. According to the candidacy conditions found in the application form for applicants,” Reech said.

“The candidate for the position of President must obtain the support of 100 members. The same applies to the candidate for the position of Vice President, while the candidate for the position of Secretary General must obtain the support of 100 members,” he said.

“Endorsement from 50 lawyers, in addition to proof of your legal experience and evidence that you have more than ten years of experience working in law.

In February 2015, South Sudanese lawyers staged a one-day strike to protest the forced cancellation by national security agents of the first-ever elections to choose leaders of the South Sudan Bar Association.

Peter Mathias, a spokesman for the bar association’s electoral committee, said security agents burst in on elections in Juba as lawyers were casting their votes.