Peace monitors urge early preparations for South Sudan elections
February 20, 2025 (JUBA) – The outgoing Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) Amb. Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai has urged the parties in South Sudan to begin early election preparations.
He was speaking during RJMEC’s 39th plenary meeting in Juba on Thursday.
“As we commence the 24 months of the extension, the elections date of December 2026 may seem distant. However, my assessment of the critical milestones required to lay ground for credible elections indicate that there is no moment to waste,” said Gituai.
He urged the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) “to demonstrate unprecedented sense of urgency to accomplish the critical pending tasks for the conduct of credible, peaceful, free and fair democratic elections.”
According to the outgoing RJMEC Chairperson, the key tasks whose non-implementation necessitated the extension of the Transitional Period, include the unification and redeployment of forces, making of the permanent constitution and preparations for the conduct of credible elections.
“As we meet here today, these tasks remain incomplete,” he emphasized.
Amb. Gituai further appealed to the regional guarantors and international community to have a more accommodative approach that aligns with the need to do things differently as well, “in order to have South Sudan transit from perpetual extensions.”
The 39th plenary meeting was Amb. Gituai’s last as he concluded his service.
“It has been four-and-half years since I took over as the Interim Chairperson of RJMEC. I thank all of you for the support and constructive engagements throughout my truly memorable years here,” he said.
During the meeting, the incoming Chairperson, Amb. Maj Gen (rtd) George Aggrey Owinow, was introduced as he prepares to steer RJMEC to the next level.
For more than our decades, Amb Maj Gen Owinow has reportedly had a distinguished military and diplomatic career, serving in different security and diplomatic missions in Africa.
He recently served as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda (2020–2022). Prior to that, he was Deputy Force Commander for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) (2019–2020).
General elections are due in South Sudan on December 22, 2026, the first since independence.
(ST)