South Sudan: Students anxious about would-be elections

JUBA, OCTOBER 7, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – Students in South Sudan are worried about the upcoming elections slated for end of transitional period in December 2024. This is despite assurance by the country’s transitional government that the elections will be peaceful.

In a side interview after a debate session, a student from Promised Land Secondary School (name withheld) said that he would leave the country for a refugee camp if he could, because he is afraid that the country will go back to war.

“I feel the government needs to do more,” the student said. “Like now, some areas are still facing insecurities. South Sudan is still insecure and much needs to be done by our government.”

Another student from Standard Secondary School urged the government to ensure that the election is peaceful.

“I wish the election will be peaceful if indeed it is conducted,” the student said. “I don’t need to miss any more years without studying. I heard from the news that others are saying there are things that need to be done before the election like disarmament, while others believe that South Sudan is not ready for election. Well, on my side, it’s not about the election, but my prayers are that whatever happens, I hope we will remain peaceful.”

The inter-school debate competition was organized by Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative in collaboration with the Student Union, with the motion “South Sudan is peaceful.” The aim of the debate was to enlighten, engage, and skill students in terms of public speaking.

In July this year, President Salva Kiir assured the public that his government is doing everything possible to ensure that what is crucial to conducting the elections is put in place.

Earlier in March, the UN envoy to South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, warned that the country faced a “make or break” year in 2023 and its leaders must implement the peace agreement to hold “inclusive and credible” elections next year.

In 2018, President Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar signed a revitalized version of a 2015 peace agreement. The deal was meant to steer the country towards elections, but its implementation has been slow with the two men postponing elections several times.

Although Kiir is calling for elections at the end of the transitional period in December 2024, his first deputy and leader of the main opposition party Machar says the country is not ready for elections and called for full implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.