SPLM refute postponement of December 2024 elections

JUBA – South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) on Friday refuted a report revealing an agreement between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Riek Machar for postponement of the general elections slated for December of this year.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Thursday, a senior member of the main armed opposition SPLM-IO said Kiir, the leader of the ruling SPLM party, and Machar, his main rival and leader of the opposition SPLM-IO, agreed “in principle” to postpone elections.

The official said the two men have formed a team to workout the modalities of the deal including a new timeline for the elections.

But speaking to reporters in Juba on Friday, SPLM spokesperson, Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa, denied the reports, denying any discussion between Kiir and Machar about the elections.

“As SPLM, we are here to categorically deny these rumors, HE comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit has not discussed or struck any deal with the First Vice President regarding the postponement of the elections,” Badagbu told reporters on Friday.

Badagbu said plans to hold elections in December 2024 remain in place.

“The elections will be in December 2024 without fail, and that is the date which has been scheduled for these elections and SPLM, we are members to the peace agreement and with our partners together, if there is anything to do with passing information about election, it will be done jointly with all the peace partners,” he said.

He said the SPLM, and its partners are implementing the 2018 peace deal in letter and spirit and there is nothing that can jeopardize the conduct of polls.

“We are implementing peace in letter and spirit and there is nothing that is going to jeopardize what is put in the peace agreement and therefore, we can never stop going for elections in December and wait for elections in December” he said.

“Postponing elections will be one of the violations that we can do because the peace agreement is clear which says at the end of transitional period, we must go for elections and these elections are scheduled for December 2024.”