PCCA says NDM not involved in ‘conspiracy’ to postpone elections

JUBA – The People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA), the civil rights movement formed in 2021 to work for removal of President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar from power has said that the National Democratic Movement (NDM) led by Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin is not involved in what the group said is a conspiracy to extend the transitional period.

In a statement on Monday, the PCCA accused South Sudan’s unity government of conspiring with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development ((IGAD) which mediated the revitalized peace agreement, to extend the transitional period without the consent of the people of South Sudan and postpone the proposed elections which the agreement says shall be conducted at the end of the transitional period.

The PCCA said that Sudan – in the run up to the end of the transitional period – will use its position as the head of IGAD to prevent any meeting of IGAD council of ministers in order to derail any action from the region that may stand against further extensions of the transitional period.

“Sudan, the Chair of IGAD, will use its position to block any IGAD Council of Ministers meeting until there is only one month left to the end of the transitional period. The aim is that, with one month left and so many provisions of the Agreement not fulfilled, IGAD will have no choice but to recommend extending the transitional period,” the statement extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

The statement claimed that the National Democratic Movement led by Dr. Lam Akol was not in favour of extension of the transitional period and said that all the parties to the revitalized peace agreement will accept without any hesitation the planned extension of the interim period.

“The parties, which are reportedly all in favour of the extension of the transitional period, except the National Democratic Movement (NDM), will accept without hesitation IGAD’s recommendation for extension. They want to use IGAD to push for the extension, contrary to Article 8.4 of the R-ARCSS, which provides for amendment procedures, because they are afraid the civil society, citizens, and the international community might oppose the extension,” the statement said.

“So, when this agenda is ramped through with only one month left, there will be no sufficient time to counter this conspiracy to extend the endless transitions in South Sudan. No country can run without a government, so citizens will have no choice but to accept the extension,” the statement added.

It accused Sudan of having “its claws everywhere in our affairs. Our citizens must know that Sudan and South Sudan are two countries governed by one criminal syndicate. The CPA article, which provided for establishing two systems, one country in Sudan, has been turned upside down.

“We now have two countries and one system. Tut Kew is the architect of this system, and he is the team leader of the NCP reawakened system for both Sudan and South Sudan. It is President Bashir’s system without Bashir. Oh! Not anymore, Bashir is back; he left the prison cells, and he now lives freely with his son Tut in Juba.”