Machar rejects election date, passing of security bill
July 8, 2024 (JUBA)- South Sudan’s First Vice President and leader of armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar has rejected the December 22, 2024 date proposed by the National Elections Commission (NEC), citing ongoing inter-parties dialogue and the Kenyan-led peace initiative with the hold-out groups.
In a statement on Monday, based his disagreement on what he described as a decision reached by the political bureau of the country’s main opposition group.
The SPLM-IO, Machar said, questioned the approval of the security bill without consulting the presidency and the council of ministers to have sections of the security bill which do comply with provisions of the 2018 peace deal revoked.
Last week, NEC announced December 22, 2024 as the elections date, while South Sudanese lawmakers passed on July 3, 2024 a controversial security bill authorizing the country’s national security agency to search and arrest without a warrant.
Separately, the political parties’ council announced that all political parties intending to take part in the upcoming elections to have registered by June 30.
In response to these unilateral decisions, the political bureau of the SPLM-IO said these actions violate different provisions of peace accord and all ongoing efforts.
Machar stressed that the implementation of the transitional security arrangements, the ongoing inter parties dialogue on the unification and deployment of the necessary unified force phases I and II cannot be subverted because the three main signatories to the peace agreement were still having standing forces they which command and control until such time they are unified and deployed under the provisions of the peace deal the parties signed in 2018.
Machar argued that the actions of the chairperson of the political parties’ council, the NEC and the decision of the parliament to approve a controversial security bill despite the decision of the cabinet and presidency, make the general public lose confidence, integrity, and neutrality to steer and work with political parties in a multiparty political system in support of the conduct of a peaceful, transparent, inclusive, free, fair and credible elections in South Sudan.
He said the security bill be returned to parliament and proper procedures followed.
“The SPLM-IO calls on the transitional national legislative assembly to retake the vote using a revitalized peace agreement. Article 1.14.9,” Machar said, stipulates that the decision in the reconstituted transitional legislative assembly shall be consensus, and failure to that shall be by a two-thirds majority of all members.
The two-thirds (2/3) majority of all 550 members of the transitional national assembly is 367, not the 274 that voted in favour, said Machar in a statement carrying his signature on July 7, 2024. He “demands the vote in the secret ballot as per the resolution of the regulations of the transitional national assembly conduct of business 2011 amended 2021”.
According to opposition leader, the passage of the security bill 2014, amended 2024, undermines security sector reforms and dreams for a vibrant democracy, respect for human rights, civil liberties, political space and rule of law in the country.
South Sudanese are eager to take part in the first post-independence election. The last election, held in March 2010, saw President Salva Kiir win with over 90 percent.
(ST)