Experts calls for political consensus to avoid another delay of elections

By Awan Achiek

The parties to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement have been asked to reach consensus on pending critical issues to avoid another delay of elections.

The presidency on September 13, 2024 postponed elections which were due in December 2024, and also extended the transition period for another three years, citing the need for time to implement the outstanding issues such as the full graduation of the 83,000 unified forces, enactment of the permanent constitution and conduct of population census.

Now the parties are being urged Abraham Kuol Nyuon, professor of political science and principal of the graduate college at the University of Juba to demonstrate political will to hold elections in December 2026 when the extended transition period ends.

“What could be done to avoid another delay of election is one, we should have a political consensus among the political leaders that had fought for this country,” Kuol told the Dawn in an interview on Thursday.

Kuol asked the political leaders to use as elections as a gift to the people of South Sudan to elect leaders of their choice.

“And by doing so, we could be able to say now there is light at the end of the tunnel, because as long there is a consensus between SPLM- IO and SPLM- IG, or the mainstream SPLM, then you could see that the elections will be done,” he said.

“This country does not belong to them. This country belongs to all South Sudanese, and everything has got an expiry date. It doesn’t matter how many times they continue to extend the transition period,” h Kuol added.

Kuol warned that the habit of leaders imposing themselves on the people will at one time create a huge problem in the country.

“They need to create a grassroots connection with the people of South Sudan, so that the people of South Sudan know that they are leaders for them, but not leaders for themselves,” he said.

The extended transition period will end in February 2027, after elections are conducted in December 22, 2026.