Yiep Joseph
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Pagan Amum, the leader of Real-SPLM and the spokesperson of SSOMA. [Photo: VOA]
The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) and other opposition outfits condemned the alleged two-year term extension of the government of South Sudan.
According to the statement seen by The City Review, the holdout groups taking part in the Tumaini Initiative accused the Juba administration of underhand schemes to extend its stay in power for an additional two years.
The holdout group’s concern came shortly after the high-level committee on peace implementation submitted its recommendations to President Salva Kiir for deliberation and to be made public.
The groups spelled out their position in a document signed by Pagan Amum, the leader of Real-SPLM, Paul Malong Awan, Chairman of South Sudan United Front/Army, Stephen Buoy Rolnyang, Chairman of South Sudan National Alliance (SSUNA), and also the chair of the South Sudan People’s Movement/Army, Gen. Mario Loku. Thomas Jada, the Chairman NAS.
They revealed that the alleged extension plan disturbed the ongoing Nairobi talks.
“A report of the so-called Interparty Dialogue Committee in which the parties to the R-ARCSS have agreed to extend themselves in power for another 24 months,” they noted in the statement.
According to the statement, the groups said they should not have signed any agreement extending government terms without commitment to Nairobi peace talks that focus on putting the country on the right path.
“We will not sign an agreement that allows the parties to the R-ARCSS to give themselves more time in office without delivering on their promises to serve and hand over power to the people,” the statement read.
The holdout groups, however, noted that the focus of the South Sudanese elites should be on transformation.
“We strongly believe that a combination of security sector transformation, national reconciliation, healing, and the making of a permanent constitution in South Sudan will lift the country out of the abyss,” the group said in a letter.
They also called on the South Sudanese people to protect the Tumaini Initiative to achieve peace and democratic transformation in the country.
“Any unilateral decision on these issues outside the Tumaini Initiative will be considered acts of bad faith and will cast a dark shadow on the current peace process,” the statement read.
The group also emphasised the need for a permanent constitution to pave the way for elections.
“There will be no legitimate democratic elections in South Sudan without a permanent constitution,” they said.
In a recent press briefing, the Deputy Chairperson of the SPLM-IO, Oyet Nathaniel, emphasized the need for the country to have a permanent constitution in order to run for office.
On the other hand, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Party came out strongly to dismiss reports circulating on social media that President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar had agreed to postpone the December elections.
An online news publication on Wednesday carried a news item indicating that Kiir and Dr. Machar had “agreed in principle to postpone the December elections.”
In response to the above-alleged extension, Daniel Badagbu Rambasa, the SPLM Party spokesperson, denied the plan while addressing journalists.
The party spokesperson said President Kiir and Dr. Machar did not strike any deals to postpone the elections.
He described the news, which has since gone viral on social media, as a rumour meant to destabilize the public.
“We want to make it crystal clear that we have received this morning a media message circulating that the Chairman of the SPLM, Comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit, has struck a deal with Dr. Riek Machar to postpone the election. This is the rumour going around, circulating on social media this morning, and this is confusing the public,” he said.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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