South Sudan must go for elections in 2023 – Kiir

JUBA – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has told members of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party that the world’s youngest country will go for elections comes 2023, saying the parties to the revitalized peace agreement must implement the 2018 peace deal in order for the country to go for elections on time.

“If someone wants to fight you just tell him we are in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, and we are left with a few months only. When we clock to 2023 we shall go for elections and there is no need to fight one another,” Kiir said during the swearing in ceremony of the acting SPLM secretary-general Peter Lam Both.

The South Sudanese head of state his government will make sure that the country do not return to war because – according to him – if the country returns to war, there would be another extension of the transitional period which will not see elections to take place as provided for in the peace agreement.

“If we fight ourselves now, we will have to extend the transitional period and the same people will remain in the offices, and this is not a solution,” Kiir said.

“The only solution we have now is to implement and complete the transitional period and then we go for elections. If you want to be a President, minister or whatever position in the government, you will be voted in by the people,” he added.

Based on the revitalized peace agreement, elections are to be held in March 2022, but as several transitional period tasks remain uncompleted, the government has extended the transitional period until 2023 sparking opposition outcry as they demand conduct of elections in 2022.