The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) - the dominant political party in Sudan's semi-autonomous south - has announced it will boycott Sudan's upcoming national presidential poll.

But the party, along with others in South Sudan, is still appealing to the region's electorate to back in regional elections.

Salva Kiir, the president of South Sudan, has travelled across the region promising to once and for all bring independence to the conflict-ridden region.

Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports from Southern Sudan.

[April 9, 2010]