South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir. Picture: File
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has started lobbying for elections to be held in 2018 despite unfavourable conditions.
President
Kiir is said to be fearing for his legitimacy once the term of the
transitional government expires in February 2018. The August 2015 Peace
agreement provides that the Transitional Government of National Unity
would last for 30 months after which elections would be held.
For
the past one month, the South Sudan leader has been saying that he is
consulting with other political leaders on the provisions of the
transitional constitution to expedite the elections.
This
is despite the country being at war over the past four years, and the
environment does not allow voter registration and voting because of
increased insecurity.
Additionally, President Kiir’s
rival Dr Riek Machar — the leader of the Sudanese Peoples’ Liberation
Movement-In Opposition — is exiled in South Africa, while the government
lacks funds to register voters and conduct elections.
South Sudan’s ambassador to Ethiopia James Morgan, told The EastAfrican that President Kiir is trying to avoid a situation where his rivals claim he is leading an illegitimate government.
The
transitional government brought signatories of the agreement such as
the Taban Deng faction of SPLM-IO, the former detainees together.
“How
will we explain to the people that we are still in government after the
term of the transmittal government ends. While the rebels are not
interested in the implementation of the agreement, it is the same rebels
that will say that the government is illegitimate. It is necessary for
us to go back to the people,” said Mr Morgan, who is also the country’s
permanent representative to the African Union.
South
Sudan was scheduled to hold elections in July 2015 but was aborted after
the country plunged into civil war in December 2015.
In March parliament voted to amend the South Sudan Transitional Constitution, 2011, to extend the presidential and parliamentary term by three years until July 9, 2018.
However, Dr Machar maintained that President Kiir is in power illegally because his term had ended in 2015. With the fighting escalating as various ethnic militia groups emerge, it difficult for Dr Machar to participate in the election even if they are called.
In March parliament voted to amend the South Sudan Transitional Constitution, 2011, to extend the presidential and parliamentary term by three years until July 9, 2018.
However, Dr Machar maintained that President Kiir is in power illegally because his term had ended in 2015. With the fighting escalating as various ethnic militia groups emerge, it difficult for Dr Machar to participate in the election even if they are called.
Mr Morgan says the council of ministers had
directed the minster for finance to set aside money for election but he
is yet to come up with estimate.
He maintained that Dr
Machar can take part in the elections if he renounces violence. “We are
simply asking him to denounce violence and he will be free to return
home. If he fears for his security, the international community is ready
to protect him so long as he is in the country,” said Mr Morgan.
In
the meantime, the implementation of the peace agreement is far behind
schedule. It is only the formation of TGoNU that has been implemented
while other requirements such as comprehensive constitutional review,
national truth and reconciliation commission and the establishment of
the hybrid court, have virtually been forgotten.
At
the recent United Nations (UN) General Assembly, the special envoy to
South Sudan, said David Shearer, lamented that the warring factions have
little interest in the implementation of the 2015 peace agreement, and
asked for regional leaders to find a political solution and
international support to the process.
Mr
Shearer said that Some 7.6 million people needed aid because of the
escalating war and displacement, but so far, only 66 per cent of the
funding requested had been received.
No comments :
Post a Comment