![South Sudan's then rebel leader Dr. Riek Machar talks to his men in a rebel-controlled territory in Jonglei State January 31, 2014. [Photo by Goran Tomasevic/REUTERS]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/11591-thumb.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)
President Salva Kiir Mayardit has vowed to organize the elections provided for in the revitalized peace agreement without, or with the SPLM-IO consent. He also said the polls will be organized without the national population census angering prominent opposition leaders including Machar.
Machar has maintained that he won’t accept to participate in the elections if it is going to be done before the reunification of the rival forces and the entire security arrangements provided for in the revitalized peace agreement he signed with President Salva Kiir Mayardit in 2018.
In an opinion piece published on Sudans Post this evening, Gatkuoth said main armed opposition group under First Vice President Machar is objecting to conduct of elections in 2023 because it knows that it will not win the polls given the continued defection from the SPLM-IO.
“The SPLM/SPLA-IO objecting to the holding of the general elections in 2023 citing insecurity and lack of the implementation of some of the provisions in the agreement is not convincing. It is the last kick of a dying horse,” he said.
“The truth is, the SPLM/A-IO-Juba faction cannot win the upcoming election given the mass exodus from IO to SPLM-IG,” he added.
He accused the main armed opposition group of opening up new war fronts in the country to legitimize their call for postponement of the national elections that slated for end of the transitional period in 2023.
“The SPLM/A-IO is busy opening up fronts everywhere in the Country causing insecurity and use the same insecurity they created to delay election. I need to assure our people that, the government is working to address such issues and this will end soon,” he said.
