Elections without full implementation of peace deal will return country to violence – activist

JUBA – A South Sudanese activist on Wednesday warned the country’s unity government that conducting elections in 2023 without the full implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement will drag the country back to war.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), raised this concern during a press conference held in the organization’s premise in Juba on Wednesday.

“Any attempt to focus on the conduct of elections without the realized genuine implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan, the chances of people going to violence is very high,” Yakani explained.

The outspoken activist said the continued delay to reconstitute State and National Parliament, plus the formation of state and local government is an indication that the peace deal with not be implemented as people expect.

“We are worried that if there is no the political will to deliver the task, there are chances that the agreement will not be implemented as we expect,”  he said.

Edmund blamed the women in political parties for pushing for the implementation of the 35 percent affirmative action.

“We have realized that women in political parties are not doing many claims for genuine implementation of 35% affirmative action for women,” he claimed.