JUBA – South Sudanese political leaders opposed to the country’s planned December general elections should return to the people and seek a fresh mandate, minister of public service Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth said.
Gatkuoth argued that elections provide leaders with an opportunity to defend their records, present their programs, and demonstrate whether they still enjoy public support.
“Let the people decide. We, as political leaders, should not fear the people. We should go before them and seek a renewed mandate,” Gatkuoth said in an opinion article published on his Facebook page on Monday.
He questioned why South Sudan should remain under transitional political arrangements when citizens have waited for years to exercise their political rights through the ballot box.
“General elections everywhere are an opportunity for leaders to return to the people, defend their records, present their vision, and seek a renewed mandate. Leaders who genuinely believe they have the confidence of the people should welcome the ballot box.”
He said leaders who genuinely believe they retain the confidence of the population should welcome elections as an opportunity to seek a renewed mandate.
“Elections should not frighten leaders who genuinely believe they have the support of the people. Elections are an opportunity to prove that support,” he said.
“South Sudan cannot remain trapped in a cycle of endless extensions while the people’s political choice is repeatedly postponed. The country must move from transitional politics to a democratic process in which citizens decide who should govern them.”
Gatkuoth maintained that South Sudan should move from transitional politics toward a democratic process in which citizens determine who should govern them.
“The people of South Sudan are not fools. They are the sovereign citizens of this country. They fought for independence, endured conflict and displacement, and have carried the burden of political instability for far too long. They deserve to exercise their political power through the ballot box,” he said.
He also rejected the idea of repeatedly postponing elections, saying continued extensions risk keeping the country trapped in a cycle of transitional governance.
“South Sudan cannot remain trapped in a cycle of endless extensions while the people’s political choice is repeatedly postponed. The country must move from transitional politics to a democratic process in which citizens decide who should govern them,” he said.
Gatkuoth called on political leaders to use the planned December 22 elections as an opportunity to present their programs and defend their records before voters.
He further urged political leaders not to fear the electorate, saying the ballot box should provide the mechanism through which citizens determine the country’s political leadership.
