Kiir-Machar meeting in Ugandan delayed again – official

JUBA – The planned meeting between President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny in Uganda under the auspices of the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has yet again been delayed by the Ugandan authorities, a senior presidency official told Sudans Post this morning.

The two men were expected to meet in the Ugandan capital Kampala in December last year, but due to reasons which were not disclosed to the parties by the Ugandan president, the meeting was delayed for February, amid disagreements over key provisions of the revitalized peace agreement.

Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, a senior South Sudan presidency official said President Kiir has been informed by the Ugandan leadership that the meeting has been delayed ‘until further notice’ and that the parties will be contacted when the Ugandan authorities are ready to conduct the meeting.

“We have received a communication from the government of the Republic of Uganda and they have informed us that the political retreat between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has been delayed until further notice,” the official who requested not to be named, said.

“They stressed that the meeting was very important in our transition to peace but they said they couldn’t conduct it given some issues at home there which need the full attention of the Ugandan government and that’s why they cannot conduct our meeting as scheduled and they will contact us once they are ready for it,” the official added.

The meeting is expected to discuss the delays in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, more importantly the security arrangements which now threatens to prevent the elections from being conducted in 2023 as provided for in the revitalized peace agreement.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit has said that he and his government intends to organize the general elections at the end of the transitional period in 2023, but First Vice President Machar and other prominent opposition leaders have opposed the conduct of elections without the unification of forces.

He says for the election to be free and fair, there must be a united and professional security sector to be able to protect the polls. He also demanded that the government create a conducive environment that will enable refugees suffering in the neighboring countries to return.

Kiir has argued that the demands by Machar do not warrant that the elections can be postponed and said that the polls will go ahead in 2023, with, or without Machar and other opposition leaders’ consent. He also said the election will be conducted without a population census, which is crucial in determining how many people will vote.