Minister of Information Michael Makuei Lueth - Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio

The Minister of Information has assured the nation that the government will allocate a budget for 2024 general elections in the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget, and the poll will go ahead as scheduled.

Michael Makuei made the remarks after the First Deputy Speaker of the national parliament Oyet Nathaniel revealed that the fiscal year budget has not allocated funding for the planned elections end of next year.

Oyet also claims that the budget has also failed to allocate for the permanent constitution-making, census, and judicial reforms among others that are pre-requisite for elections.

However, Makuei, who is the Minister of Information, says the election budget will be allocated in the middle of 2024 as the country approaches the polls.

According to him, the government is now focused on implementing the peace provisions and the democratic transition.

The information minister also appeals to South Sudanese to be ready for the elections in December 2024.

“We will budget for elections in the next year’s budget because that will be the time for elections, we have now provided for the electoral commission for its establishment at all levels and the preparations and training of the staff,” said Makuei.

“The actual elections will be starting next year not this year, people are talking that elections will not be held, the elections will be held because the agreement will be implemented as it is.”

“There is still enough time for us, people believe that there is no time and so force, but there is enough time. Up to the end of this year, all the security arrangements will be completed,” Makuei said.

“Tell the people of South Sudan let them get ready for the elections,” he added

‘There are doubting Thomas’s and there are voices from other parties signatories to the agreement saying that we are not going for elections because nothing was prepared. I don’t know how they conceive this idea of the elections. The elections will be run.” Makuei said.