South Sudan’s civil society back opposition’s rejection of Entebbe Proposal

July 16, 2018 (WAU) – South Sudan’s civil society groups have added their voice to the opposition forces rejecting the Entebbe proposal which increase cabinet’s ministers and members of parliament but ignore the core issues that led to the eruption of war in the country.

The proposal was submitted to the parties during a meeting held in Entebbe between the leaders of South Sudanese parties to the conflict in addition to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his Sudanese counterpart Omer al-Bashir on Friday 7 July.

According to the initial Entebbe proposal which since Monday evening has been revised, there will be 550 members of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and 45 cabinet ministers with their deputies respectively.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Monday, Biel Boutros a South Sudanese activist said such proposal did not reflect the political interest to end the conflict but focus on personal interests in the governing system.

“We said no; this is a very huge government and what the citizens want now is service delivery, but not accommodating personalities,” said Boutros.

He added they are also opposed the proposal because it would mean the establishment of a huge government that would be unable to deliver the badly needed services to the people:

“What we the civil population of South Sudan need is peace (…). We all know that Uganda has interest in the South Sudan conflict,” he said.

“The citizens are really suffering. They are in a critical situation. So, the question is not how many (politicians) to be accommodated, but what services to be delivered to the people,” he repeated.

The opposition parties said the proposal reflects the government’s previous positions, particularly the creation of a two vice-presidents positions for the incumbent government and maintaining the current members of parliaments.

On Monday evening the South Sudan Opposition Alliance rejected the second draft agreement on the outstanding issues of governance saying they want a lean government and the transfer of power and resources to the states and local authorities.

(ST)