Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The deputy chairman of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), Nathaniel Oyet, has said that the group still maintains its rejection of the recently passed National Elections Act 2012 (Amendment Bill 2023).
The amendment bill, which gives the president the right to appoint 5 percent of members of parliament, was passed last week by the transitional parliament despite a boycott by lawmakers from the main armed opposition group.
Oyet said that the SPLM-IO opposes any appointment of supposedly elected officials by any person.
“We maintain our position. We object to any appointment of additional members of parliament by any person,” he told Sudans Post on Tuesday evening following the signing of the bill into law by President Salva Kiir.
When asked if the SPLM-IO will take part in the upcoming 2024 elections, Oyet said that his party will not participate unless certain conditions are met, including the conduct of a population census, the creation of a conducive political environment, and the adoption of a permanent constitution.
“We don’t believe in any elections without census, without political space, without a permanent constitution, without security arrangements, we would not believe in any elections in the Republic of South Sudan to be free, fair, credible, and also peaceful meeting the required benchmark,” he said.
“I don’t believe that the SPLM-IG can go for elections without meeting the benchmark because if the peace agreement would be abrogated by the SPLM-IG the critical pending task, we don’t see any prospect that South Sudan will be prepared and will be ready for elections,” he added.
“It is one thing to talk about elections, it is another thing to prepare a country for elections.”
The SPLM-IO’s objections to the electoral law amendment was seconded by several opposition groups including the National Democratic Party (NDM), the Revive South Sudan Party (RSSP), and the civil rights organizer People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA).
This large opposition to the bill sets a major setback for the peace and electoral process in South Sudan.
The SPLM-IO is one of the two main signatories to the peace agreement, and its participation in the political process is essential for the country’s stability and development.
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