Political Parties' Council Chairperson Engineer James Akol Zakayo speaks to media|Photo-Charles Wote -16/04/2024

The Political Parties Council has allocated 1.5 billion pounds to eligible political parties to promote multiparty democracy and expedite the electoral processes ahead of the December 2024 polls .

A week ago, the council confirmed receiving 7.6 billion South Sudan Pounds, an equivalent of 5 million US dollars from the government through a consolidated fund for pre-election activities.

EngineerJames Akol Zakayo, the Chairperson of the Political Parties Council says, the fund is allocated in line with section 37 of the political Parties act 2012 as amended.

“Therefore, the stated fund shall strictly be utilized in accordance with the provisions stipulated in section 37 of the political parties Act 2012 as amended 2022.

“Moreover, money allocated to political parties from the fund shall not be used for paying directly or indirectly remuneration, fees, rewards, allowances or any other benefit to a member or support of the political party other than a member of staff,”he said.

Section 37 of the Political Parties Act as amended states that money allocated to a registered political party from the fund shall be used for the purpose compatible with democracy.

This include promoting the representation of women, persons with special needs and youth in the state and national assemblies.

It is also to promoting active participation by individual citizens and persons with special needs in political life.

Other requirement includes covering the election expenses of the political parties and broadcasting their manifestos.

Parties are also obliged to us the funding to promote civic education in democracy and other electoral processes among others.

“Money allocated to political party from the fund shall not be used for any other purpose incompatible with promotion of multi-party democracy and electoral processes or with Constitution.

“We have rules and regulations in place and how to manage those funds that are allocated to political parties. So, they will be guided and will be told where to spend them, must be things to do with multiparty democracy and electronic processes.”

The Council, however, did not reveal how much each political party shall receive from the obligatory fund.

But the Political Parties act says the political parties shall within 90 days of the end of its financial year publicize a gazette or at least on two daily newspapers with nationwide circulation.

The Council, however, says there are only 14 registered political parties in the country, with 21 others having so far applied for registration since the reconstitution of the council.