South Sudan to hold elections despite insecurity: minister

[Elisabeth Janaina]

South Sudan to hold elections despite insecurity: minister
File photo: Michael Makuei
File photo: Michael Makuei

South Sudan’s government could hold general elections in 2018 despite
insecurity due to fighting between government and opposition forces, a
spokesman of the government said.

Information Minister Michael Makuei said at a press conference in Juba
today that the insecurity situation will not be an excuse for the
people of South Sudan not to hold the 2018 elections.

“You cannot take insecurity as an excuse for not running the election,” he said.

Makuei pointed out that the government of South Sudan is not aware of
diplomatic efforts in the region to end Riek Machar’s forced dentation
in South Africa.

“What we know is that Riek Machar is in South Africa, and if he is
coming then we have not yet known about that,” he said.

He stressed that rebel leader Riek Machar will only be allowed to
return to the country if he denounces rebellion. The official
spokesman added if Machar returns to the country as a politician he
must come when the election is about to be conducted.

Chapter 1, Article 16 of the signed peace agreement is about general
elections in South Sudan. The agreement says that the President and
First Vice President will agree on the formation of a National
Elections Commission.

According to the 2015 peace deal, the elections must take place 60
days before the end of the transitional period, which will be in 2018.