South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Benjamin Takpiny
South Sudan’s government has been cautioned to beware of the implications of embracing a multiparty political system as it struggles to transition from years of conflict.
Maj Gen (Rtd) Charles Tai Gituai, Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) said on Wednesday that South Sudan would struggle to successfully implement multi-party system like many countries on the continent that were previously in the same situation.
He said countries emerging from post -conflict situations often struggle to embrace political culture of allowing divergent views and building trust and consensus among political parties.
“However, political parties’ development and multiparty dialogues are necessary steps towards the creation of stable, democratic political systems that can be conducive to development, the protection of human rights, conflict prevention and resolution of conflict,” said Gituai during the Political Parties Forum on the code of conduct of political parties/elections.
He said that the stability and effectiveness of a political party system is not only determined by its legal framework, but by the checks and balances within the system, and the parties’ organization and general democratic practices within the party.
“The stability and effectiveness of political parties’ hinge upon the existence of mechanisms for parties to engage in interparty dialogue and cooperation, especially in a post conflict situation,” said Gituai.
According to the Revitalized Agreement, elections are due to take place in December 2024.
Gituai said that the peace agreement requires that the elections birth a democratically elected government and should be free, fair, and credible and reflect the will of the electorate.
He added that credible elections and election processes are therefore a vital corner stone in the laying of the foundation for a united, peaceful and prosperous South Sudan.
“The revitalized agreement prohibits the Parties to the Agreement from committing certain acts by the Permanent Ceasefire during the Transitional Period which includes the electoral period. Actions such as engaging in hostile propaganda or hate speech including social media to foment ethnic or secretion hatred are prohibited. Violent actions such as attacking the civilian population, sexual and gender-based violence are also strictly prohibited,” said Gituai.
Gituai added that parties are also required to take specific positive measures such as protection of the media, civil society and the most vulnerable population in the Transitional Period.
He noted that 2018 revitalized agreement requires the parties to ensure accountability against their own members in the event of any such breaches.
“It is important for the parties to consider drawing lessons from the experience of the Permanent Ceasefire, of which we have so far achieved in terms of continued observance, on the one hand and making all effort to ensure safety and credibility of elections that is nonviolent,” he said.
“The National Elections Act provides that the National Election Commission should develop legally binding codes of conduct for persons who wish to participate in elections such as candidates, parties and others. It is therefore, important for South Sudan to consider drawing up such rules that circumscribe acceptable and unacceptable conduct of those who participate in elections so that they can be free, fair and credible,” said Gituai.
He urged the parties to robustly engage with each other bearing in mind that a broad, inclusive dialogue among all political parties helps to build relationships based on trust, democratic tolerance and transparency and facilitates the exchange of good practices.
Gituai noted that constructive dialogue can help build consensus on practical steps that can be taken to secure the electoral environment for the country and ensure attainment of necessary milestones including the timely conduct of elections.
