Gov’t told to publicly confirm or dismiss reports of transitional period extension

JUBA – The Executive Director of Community Empowerment and Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani has urged the government to come out publicly to confirm or dismiss reports that the transitional period has been extended by the main principals.

This afternoon, visiting Sudanese foreign minister said President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny, as well as other signatories to the revitalized peace agreement, have agreed to extend the transitional period to give time for implementation of remaining tasks of the agreement.

But the government hasn’t yet issued any statement as to if the transitional period has in fact been extended and contradicting speculations have started to spread suggesting that the two leaders have agreed to reduce the size of the government ministries to only 25.

Speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon, Yakani said the extension of the transitional period is the only option for the signatories of the agreement in order to give time to the parties to prepare and implement provisions of the agreement that have not been implemented.

“In principle, the concept of extension [of the transitional period] is the only option on the table if we need a timeline for conducting credible and peaceful election and also if we want to conduct a constitutional-making process that is citizen-driven and not in rush,” Yakani said.

“The reality is that the timeline from now to the end of the lifespan of the transitional period as stipulated in the document, the revitalized agreement, which is 22^nd February 2023 is short. So we need extra time to prepare very well for conduct of peaceful and conduct of elections and to engage in a constitution-making process that is citizen-driven,” he added.

Yakani said that there is need for the extension “because we need to have a conducive environment for these two political activities, these are to conduct elections and making a constitution that represents the citizens of South Sudan and also we need time for transitional justice.”

He further said that the government should now come out to publicly state if the reports are correct or not.

“We felt there is a need for the government, the R-TGONU to come out officially and communicate to the public what entails the details of the expansion of the transitional or the revitalized agreement,” he said.

“It is very important for the government to inform the citizens in an official manner because absence of official and credible information gives chance for rumors,” Yakani stressed.