Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Last week, during the budget review for the fiscal year 2021–2022, several government spending agencies criticised the ministry of finance for failing to release the money to them in the previous budget.
For instance, the South Sudan National Elections Commission has not been receiving funding from the ministry despite being approved in the national budget. It claimed that the ministry of finance and planning had been favouring some institutions more than others.
Recently, the National Election Commission has been allocated SSP 65,411,199 in the fiscal year 2021/2022, with SSP 37,370,444 being earmarked for wages and salaries and the remaining SSP 28,040,675 channelled to goods and services.
The ministry of finance should now adhere to the recommendation from the specialised committee for finance and planning. The ministry must ensure that all government agencies receive funds in their accounts regularly.
Already, the National Elections Commission has raised concern over a lack of funds to support its activities to ensure free and fair elections in 2023. This concern is very important and should be taken very seriously because there is no way we are talking about holding an election when the National Elections Commission does not have the funds to conduct its activities. It needs to develop effective civic education programmes related to the elections.
Among other things that the NEC needs to do right now before the election is the need to set up offices in the 10 states and the three administrative areas. Although there were some office structures during Sudan’s 2010 general election, there is doubt whether those offices still exist in the states up to now. Apart from setting up the physical infrastructure, the NEC will have to recruit qualified personnel and train them in the management of elections if we expect to have free and fair elections.
The ministry of finance and planning needs to fund the NEC to efficiently conduct its activities, which are very crucial in the transition of the country from war to peace, and from a state of lawlessness to democracy.
The NEC needs to prepare itself if at all possible since there will be elections in 2023. The institution has three major roles to play, which include, organising, conducting, and supervising the elections. As the parties to the agreement focus on the elements in the agreement like the constitution-making process, it is equally important for the NEC, as an independent body, to start preparing its house to ensure the election is credible.
However, this is not possible without the institution’s financial and logistical support. There is a need for training of personnel as well. It is important to prepare the NEC as early as possible.
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