President Salva Kiir has given an explanation why his government accepted to extend the pre-transitional period by 100 days.
The parties were expected to form a coalition government next week as agreed in May this year.
Two weeks ago, Kiir and the SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar failed to agree over the timely formation of the coalition government.
Machar said that the ceasefire and a revitalized government would face serious challenges if the forces were not trained and unified.
He suggested more extension to allow for full implementation of the security arrangements and the determination of the number of states.
But Kiir and several other party leaders insisted that the coalition government must be established on 12 November.
During the tripatide summit in Entebbe on Thursday, President Kiir and Machar narrowed their difference and agreed to delay formation of the coalition government by 100 days.
President Kiir says he accepted the extension to avoid the risk of returning to war.
“I as your President had to accept the 100 days extension to avoid the potential of the SPLM/A-Io returning the country to war again,” Kiir told the media upon arrival at Juba International Airport on Friday.
Advocates believe the Kiir administration largely contributed to the delays in the implementation of key provisions, including training and unification of the necessary force.
The government was to provide $100 million during the pre-interim period to facilitate the work of the various mechanisms of the peace deal. But the NPTC recently revealed that only $40 million has been availed.
Last week told the national parliament that despite the funding gap, he was “serious” about forming the coalition government with other opposition groups. He even urged the region to provide security to “VIPs who do not feel safe until such time when the outstanding part of the security arrangements are completed.”
But political analysts notable from think-tank Sudd Institute and peace campaign group had warned that Dr. Machar’s faction was likely to use violence if Kiir excluded him from the unity government.
In today’s address, Kiir accepted blame for the funding shortage, and said this is partly why he also reversed his decision to uniletarally form the TGoNU next week.
“Honestly, I accept it. I accepted it because the government did not honor its pledge to pay the remaining part of the $100 million …because it was not possible for the government to pay all the $100 million which was promised,”
In the last 14 months since the signing of the revitalized agreement, the parties failed to train half of 83,000 troops needed for the national army, national security and the police services.
Some soldiers have been registered and cantoned in various designated sites across the country.
However, hundreds of soldiers have been forced to abandon the training camps due to lack of food, shelter, clean drinking water and medical supplies.