CEPO urges reconstitution of key institutions ahead of 2024 elections

JUBA, MARCH 20, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan civil society watchdog, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has called for reconstitutions of key transitional institutions such as the National Elections Commission (NEC), saying it is concerned by the delays in reconstituting these institutions.

CEPO made the call after President Salva Kiir Mayardit said during a rally in Western Bahr el Ghazal state’s capital  Wau on Saturday that the country is heading for elections and called on citizens and opposition groups to prepare for elections.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, CEPO it “welcomes the message but CEPO initiative of Civic Engagement and Observation Net is concerned about the delay in legal frameworks and institutional reconstitution for the driving the expected national general election by December, 2024,” he said.

“Our observation is that electoral campaigns by the political parties has started in the face of absence of the required legal legislation and reconstitution of the institutions namely the national elections commission, political parties council and National constitutional Review Commission,” he added.

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of CEPO said that the delays in reconstitution of key institutions such as the National Elections commissions may delay polls beyond December 2024 as provided for in the peace roadmap.

“The process for creating conducive environment for the conduct of credible elections are delaying seriously. Constitution is precondition for the conduct of the elections and yet the constitutional making process have not started through the drafting of the constitution by the Constitutional Drafting Committee (CDC) which is not yet established (CDC),” he said.

“Another precondition for the conduct of the election is all political parties are required to legally register by the Political Parties Council (PPC) where PPC is not yet reconstituted and above all till today the National Election Commission is not yet reconstituted. All these steps are essential for set ground for conduct of credible elections which requires to be met as early as by January 2023.

“From June 2023 onwards when these steps are not undertaken the chances of having credible national elections by December 2024 is narrow and likely will end up as bad elections. The presidency should speed up actions for meeting these essential and critical steps for setting the right pathway for conduct of credible elections by December 2024

“The preparation for the conduct of general election by December 2024 per now is not promising since the required institutions namely the political parties council, National Elections Commission and National Constitution Review Commission are not yet reconstituted till today including the ratification of the National Election Act (amended), 2023 by the national parliament.

“The political leadership are required to do more actions within the period of April-May, 2024 otherwise forget about conduct of credible elections beside serious delay in implementing the transitional security arrangements,” he stressed.