Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Information during a cabinet meeting on 10th July 2020. | File Photo/Eye Radio

The recent media report on the extension of the transitional period was only a suggestion and not an official resolution of the peace parties, the government Spokesperson has said.

According to Michael Makuei, different peace parties have not yet harmonized their positions on the issue.

Makuei said the parties and other stakeholders, including the civil society, will select a committee on the road map to come out with a final decision.

“This is an idea from different parties and up to now is not yet finally in its final form, we are working on the road map, people should be patients,” he said.

The statement contradicts recent media reports suggesting that the peace parties agreed to prolong the mandate of the unity government for another 32 months.

Minister Michael Makuei told Eye Radio via on Thursday morning, the peace parties have only agreed to put forth an inclusive position on the election roadmap.

“What we have agreed upon as parties to the agreement and as stakeholders as well, will involve all the people including the civil society as stakeholders, it’s thereafter, that will come out with what will be agreed road map,” said Minister Makuei.

“People should be patient they should not try to hatch everything so that they know everything in advance,” he added.

Makuei also urged the public to be patient and desist from consuming and circulating misinformation.

“My message to the people of South Sudan is that please be patient and don’t be misled and don’t listen to this misleading information that is usually in the social media, you wait for the official document that will constitute the road map.”

According to the implementation matrix of the peace deal, many provisions should have been implemented by now.

Previously, the government and opposition parties differed over when to conduct elections.

The ruling party, SPLM hinted on the conduct of elections as scheduled from the previous extension, while the SPLM-IO and the National Democratic Movement called for security guarantee and implementation of outstanding issues.

Critical provisions in the agreement such as the graduation and deployment of the necessary unified forces and facilitation of the return of refugees and IDPs to their homes remains unimplemented.

Others are the conduct of population census, review and enacting security-related bills, restructuring of the electoral commission among other issues.

In May 2019, the pre-interim period was extended by six months, after the main opposition leader Dr Riek Machar requested more time to implement key parts of the security arrangements.

At the end of the six months, they again extended the pre-transitional period by 100 days.