CEPO’s Yakani reacts to reconstitution of election institutions  

JUBA, NOV. 4, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan’s civil society activist Edmund Yakani has welcomed the reconstitution of key transitional institutions important in the conduct of the country’s would-be general elections slated for next year and called for redeployment of the unified forces.

In several presidential decrees readout on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), President Salva Kiir reconstituted the National Elections Commission (NEC), the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC), and the Political Parties Council (PPC).

In reaction, Yakani who is the Executive Director of civil society watchdog Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) welcomed the presidential actions and described it as a set up for conduct of the 2024 elections.

“CEPO welcomed and appreciates the positive response of the presidency to our long-time advocacy for the reconstitution of the political transitional institutions namely National Constitutional Review Commission, National Elections Commission and Political Parties Council today,” he said.

“At least now institutional set up is in place for creation of conducive political environment for the conduct of the looming elections expected in December 2024,” the activist added.

Yakani said that the latest step in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement would “only be partial if the redeployment of the unified forces is not done, including the” allocation of adequate funds for the functions of the reconstituted political transitional institutions.”

“CEPO is the presidency for urgent redeployment of the first graduated unified forces and allocation of adequate funds for the establishment of the transitional political institutions,” he said, adding that the civil society watchdog “will be immediately rolling out civic engagement across the country on these political transitional processes.”