![South Sudan president Salva Kiir speaks at a National Liberation Council meeting in the country’s capital, Juba, a few days before the incident. [Photo by Samir Bol/AFP/Getty Images]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ezgif.com-gif-maker.jpg?resize=858%2C477&quality=89&ssl=1)
JUBA — South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has unveiled a proposal that would only see a presidential and gubernatorial elections citing funding shortages and literacy concerns among citizens.
In a statement signed by its secretary-general Peter Lam Both on Wednesday, the group argued that necessary institutions and legislations are in place and the parliament is about to approve a budget during the first weeks of April.
“The substantive institutions and legislations necessary for the conduct of the elections have been put in place. What now remains is for the National Assembly to approve the budget for the elections institutions in the first week of April 2024 so that they can start their work immediately,” the group said.
The group called for dialogue among the signatories of the revitalized peace agreement over the type of elections that should be conducted, citing budgetary issues and literacy concerns among the country’s roughly 12 million population.
“The Political Parties signatory to the R-ARCSS must now dialogue on whether we will go for General Elections or Executive Elections given the budgetary consideration for the elections and the literacy of our voters as too many election boxes for so many candidates might confuse many people on the election day,” it said.
“We propose that we conduct Presidential and Gubernatorial elections in December 2024 and the Parliamentary elections to follow after one year of the elected government,” the statement added.
The statement also addressed certain provisions of the R-ARCSS (Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan), with the SPLM asserting that some provisions — such as census, permanent constitution and repatriation of refugees — are unrelated to the electoral process and should be implemented by the elected government.
“The rest of the provisions of the R-ARCSS which have been cited ad nauseam as being relevant to the elections are just being used as pretext to seek extension of R-TONU,” it said.
“National Elections Act maintains the 332 number of members of the National Assembly who were elected in 2010 (Juba and Khartoum) and for that reason, there is no need to demarcate new constituencies for this upcoming elections. What would therefore be the need to conduct a new census which is not required for this up-coming election?,” it asked.
On permanent constitution, the SPLM claimed that South Sudan “don’t need a Permanent Constitution in order to conduct an election. For that reason, it is a process which will be carried forward for the elected Government of South Sudan to finish. It is only the elected members of the National Assembly that will decide on the permanent constitution of South Sudan. It cannot be done by a politically appointed parliament.”
The group further SPLM reiterated its commitment to collaboration and urged all stakeholders to work towards the successful realization of the upcoming elections.
“The SPLM remains committed to constructive engagement and cooperation with other political parties as we chart a way forward to accomplish the upcoming election,” the statement concluded. “We would like to call upon all the parties signatory to R-ARCSS to remain true and commit to the peaceful conclusion of this peace agreement.”
