Peter Lam Both, the SPLM Secretary-General - Courtesy

The SPLM which has been vocal on its support for elections in December 2024, is forced to abandon such ambition and accept an extension of the transition period for two years due to funding shortage facing the country, said the party’s secretary general.

Peter Lam Both made the statement during a press conference on Monday where he highlighted the position of his party on the recent presidency agreement to postpone the country’s first ever-elections since independence.

Lam said despite his party’s readiness to go for elections as earlier scheduled, the exercise could not hold due to funding constraints.

He stated that the funding challenge prompted his party to accept the extension agreed by the Presidency.

“Six months start now, we must look for money between now and February 2025 so that these mechanisms can do their work and the election can take place in December 22, 2026,” he said in the press briefing.

“That is what was agreed by the Presidency and that is what we accepted.”

“Now for us as SPLM, as Secretary General, I find it difficult even to stand here to talk about extension because we have been for election and for that reason, we will never compromise on SPLM principles.”

Mr. Lam said he even thought that if he had cows, he would have sold them off to fund the elections.

“I even said in that meeting that, if I have the cows to sell in order for this election to happen, I can sell them because we are fully for this election. But if there is no money, what can we do? If we get money, even today, we can go for election.”

The decision to postpone the elections has already been endorsed by the national cabinet and is set to be tabled at the R-JMEC and parliament in the coming days.

The presidency agreed that the resource mobilization starts between now and February 2025 for the mechanism to implement their obligations as provided for by the peace agreement.

According to Presidential Adviser on National Security, Hon. Tut Gatluak, the extension is an opportunity to implement the critical remaining protocols in R-ARCSS, such as the permanent constitution process, census, and the registration of political parties.

The Presidency also emphasizes that the remaining months of the current transitional period will be utilized to mobilize funds, aimed at the effective implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.