By John Ikani
South Sudan maintains it is on course to hold successful general elections in December this year, despite some quarters, including the United Nations, casting doubts about its preparedness.
The country, which is Africa’s youngest nation, got its independence from Sudan in July 2011, and it is yet to hold its first general elections.
South Sudan’s initial plan was to hold presidential polls on July 9, 2015, but this was derailed by an internal conflict.
President Salva Kiir said the warring factions needed time to reconcile before elections could be held.
At that time, Kiir’s camp had fallen out with that of his deputy, Riek Machar. But now South Sudan says it is ready to hold presidential elections, which had been postponed more than two times.
Serial Postponements
In August 2015, President Kiir, opposition parties and other stakeholders signed an agreement on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan.
A transitional government was to hold power ahead of elections, but barely a year later, fresh fighting broke out, delaying elections yet again.
In September 2018, the rival parties signed a revitalized agreement to end the cyclic conflict in South Sudan, a country of more than 11 million people.
The agreement, which gave election timelines, provided for the formation of what was called the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in the year 2020.
The transitional rule was set to end in February 2023, but in August 2022, the transitional administration extended its own mandate until February 2025 and set elections for December 2024.
UN & Observers Skeptical
The United Nations has raised concerns over South Sudan’s preparedness for elections.
“As matters stand, the country is not yet in a position to hold credible elections, a view shared by key stakeholders across the political spectrum,” said
Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, while Briefing the 15-nation organ in December 2023.
According to him, “With only 11 months remaining, the pace of overall implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement towards December 2024 elections has been uneven. The transitional security arrangements are significantly behind schedule, and the permanent constitution-making process is now 15 months behind the timeline set out in the road map and the peace agreement.”
The UN harps that free and fair elections in the country will require a new constitutional framework and well-trained security forces.
It further says that a mechanism for resolving disputes over election results should be put in place.
Observers say South Sudan is yet to address most of the issues raised by the UN.
We are ready – South Sudan Govt
The government of South Sudan, however, says South Sudanese citizens have demanded that elections be held, and they will give them that at the end of this year.
South Sudan’s foreign affairs minister, James Morgan, has expressed optimism that most of the issues raised over his country’s election preparedness will be resolved before the polls are held in December this year.
“The people of South Sudan want elections, and we shall have them in December 2024,” Morgan told TRT Afrika.
Political observers say elections in South Sudan will open a new frontier of governance, including stronger institutional structures and reforms that will improve the lives of South Sudanese citizens.
So far it is only 72-year-old Salva Kiir who has expressed interest in seeking election in December this year.
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