Peter Lam Both, the SPLM-IG Secretary-General - Courtesy

The SPLM party proposes the conduct of presidential and gubernatorial elections in December 2024 and the postponement of parliamentary elections for one year from the end of the transitional period.

In a press statement on 20th March, SPLM Secretary-General, Cde. Peter Lam Both said the party resolved in its meeting last month that it is ready for the conduct of elections as scheduled in December 2024.

“As the country begins the countdown towards the end of the interim period, the SPLM position has always been very clear, that (we are) ready and willing to participate in the upcoming elections as provided for in the roadmap,” the statement reads in part.

“We propose the conduct of presidential and gubernatorial elections in December 2024 and the parliamentary elections to follow after one year of elected government.”

The party argues that substantive institutions and legislations necessary for the conduct of the elections, including the reconstitution of electoral bodies and commencement of the deployment of force, have been put in place.

The argument comes even as only 6% of the 53,000 strong Necessary Unified Forces graduated in the first phase of the security arrangement have been deployed, since they were passed out one two years ago.

The second phase of the unification of force that must train, graduate and deploy 30,000 force – has also stalled.

“What now remains is for the National Assembly to approve the budget for the elections institutions in the first week of April 2024 so that they can start their work immediately,” it asserted.

While underscoring that the peace parties will discuss whether the country will go for General or Executive elections, SPLM also suggested that the talks should consider the financial cost of conducting the polls.

The letter stated that another reason to limit the elections to the executive, is the state of literacy of South Sudanese voters “as too many election boxes for many candidates might confuse many people during election day.”

It dismissed the relevance of population census, saying the 2010 geographical constituencies should be used in the December elections and 332 elected members of the National Assembly maintained.

SPLM also said the current parliament is an appointed one and cannot be entrusted with writing a permanent constitution.

On the repatriation and resettlement of refugees and returnees, the political group argued that the process is voluntary, and that the government is not mandated to return the refugees to the country by force.

However, the revitalized agreement signed in 2018 stipulated that the unity government must provide a conducive environment for the return of displaced populations within and outside the country.

While the SPLM, South Sudan Opposition Alliance and the Other Political Parties expressed support for the conduct of elections as scheduled, the SPLM-IO has since differed.

On March 1, 2024, the Deputy Chairman of SPLM-IO Oyet Nathaniel said the anticipated South Sudan general elections should be held only after the country has a permanent constitution.

Oyet Nathaniel – also the First Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament – said the SPLM-IO will not be part of a sham elections that may drag the country into further.