As South Sudan prepares for elections later this year, Bol Gai Deng has his eye on the presidency - even though he lives thousands of kilometres away.
Mr Deng, the candidate for the Kush Democratic Majority Party, began his campaign in 2017 after elections were announced for the following year in South Sudan.
He has been running his campaign from the US, however, where he has lived for the past two decades.
'War is not an option'
In 1987, when he was just seven years old, Mr Deng's village was attacked by elements of a radical militia.
Most of the people in the village were killed but more than 700 children - including Mr Deng - were abducted and taken to western Sudan.
Once they arrived, according to Mr Deng, they were sold as slaves.
After several years in slavery, Mr Deng escaped to Egypt, where, after being sponsored by a church in Virginia, he was able to come to the US.
He went on to graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University with a double major in political science and homeland security.
From his new home in the US, he has watched the situation in his country deteriorate.
“I grew up in war, lived at war and grew grey hair at war. I have seen the devastating effects of war in South Sudan for a long time," Mr Deng told The National.
"We have lost about 4.5 million people in the first and second wars. We know war is not an option."
South Sudan was once part of Sudan but gained autonomy in 2005 and then independence in 2011 following a referendum. After independence, the new country spiralled into civil war due to conflict between the president, Salva Kiir, and his former deputy Riek Machar.
The conflict resulted in more than 400,000 deaths and caused millions to flee their homes. Previous conflicts had taken the lives of millions more.
A peace agreement reached in 2018, which has not been fully enacted, was extended by 24 months to better prepare for the December 2024 elections. However, there is a possibility that these elections may be pushed back again.
'Free and fair elections'
Mr Deng asserts that the people of South Sudan have not exercised their right to choose their leaders since the 2011 referendum. Instead, they have endured a cycle of violent conflict that has prevented a democratic transfer of power.
“We have been campaigning to stop the tribal war in the country and urging South Sudanese to unite because tribal conflict has been perpetuated by the regime,” said Mr Deng, a member of the Dinka tribe.
“We have unresolved issues from the peace agreement, such as the status of Abyei, Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains.
"They were supposed to have referendums to decide whether to join Sudan or South Sudan, but Omar Al Bashir did not allow it. Our task is to revisit the peace process initiated by Dr John Garang in 2005 to ensure these referendums take place."
Ultimately, Mr Deng is running for president to prevent the next generation from facing the same obstacles he encountered growing up.
He has been actively engaging with the US State Department, the US mission to the UN, members of Congress, civic groups and representatives of refugee camps in East Africa to promote the scheduling of elections. He has also been involved in protests in the US to bring more attention to the plight of his country.
“We have been telling South Sudanese that they must vote for free and fair elections. Our job is also to support humanitarian efforts on the ground," he said.
"About 75 per cent of our people live under NGOs, supported by UN humanitarian aid. Our people lack medicine and proper education, and these are the issues we are campaigning for."
Conflict in Sudan
Though South Sudan is now an independent country, its neighbour to the north is still affecting its stability today.
A civil war broke out in Sudan in April last year when relations soured between Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, who heads the country's armed forces, and paramilitary leader Gen Mohamed Dagalo. Thousands have been killed in the conflict so far and millions forced to flee their homes.
Mr Deng emphasised the importance of addressing the war in Sudan.
“These two men are causing immense suffering in Sudan, and the victims are primarily women and children. It is our duty, as a region familiar with Sudanese culture, to lead the efforts for peace,” he said.
If elected in December, he said that he will focus on ending the war in Sudan, which has pushed thousands of refugees into South Sudan.
He said he plans to mobilise members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development trade bloc, the African Union and the international community to address Sudan's problems by bringing the two warring generals to the negotiating table.
Asked whether he has a realistic shot at winning, Mr Deng pointed to recent polls in South Sudan showing people are "fed up" with the current administration. He added that he has a good base in the Dinka community and beyond.
Mr Deng believes it is crucial for young South Sudanese Americans to be educated about the complex situation in the country.
He intends to continue sharing his story as he urges the younger generation of South Sudanese Americans to step up, leave the comfort of the US and lead the country towards a better future.
