Akouch Ajang Nyanhom, the Chairperson of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance - Credit | Doru Sky/Eye Radio | July 27, 2022

An activist has advised the unity government against extension of the interim period, and instead called for elections as a popular demand of the citizens.

Akouch Ajang Nyanhom, Chairperson of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance, claimed the peace parties are determined to extend the transitional period to prolong their rule without legitimacy.

“It’s in the interest of all the political parties to extend the agreement because they will continue to rule the country,” said Ajang.

“They want to continue to serve as ministers, MP, and Commissioners. I don’t think anything will bother them because they are in charge,”he added.

Ajang stated that the political leaders who are already in power do not want to conduct elections because they don’t want to lose power.

Speaking to the media in Juba, the activist said the citizens want elections conducted in order to hold politicians accountable.

“It’s only the people of South Sudan who want an election. We, the citizens, want elections to be conducted and this is when we, the citizens, will hold politicians accountable.”

Last year, President Salva Kiir affirmed his commitment to the conduct of the general elections at the end of the transitional period.

The Head-of-state, however, said there is an urgent need to complete all the provisions of the revitalized peace agreement before 2023.

On the contrary, opposition parties including the SPLM-IO doubted the possibility of free and fair elections in 2023 without the full implementation of key provisions in the 2018 peace deal.

Meanwhile, prominent activist Edmund Yakani said the prevailing political environment in South Sudan is not conducive to the holding of free and fair elections.

Yakani’s comment was echoed by the head of the UN mission in the country, who also expressed doubt over the conduct of free and fair elections saying the country is yet to have a competitive political space.