South Sudanese President Salva Kiir says his country’s first General Election has been postponed for up to three years due to objections of the Western nations.

The world’s newest state gained independence from Sudan in July 2011 after more than two decades of civil war and was due to hold its first poll in 2015.

With widespread fighting, President Kiir said, it was essential to hold the elections on schedule, as an answer to claims of dictatorship that his rivals have labelled against him.

“I had said that we go for elections in 2015 as it had been scheduled. Let these people stand, let whoever wants to contest stand, we will all stand,” President Kiir said, referring to rebel leader Riek Machar and a group of 11 former political detainees.

“The Westerners know that their groups will all lose. No one will win votes. So they say ‘No, postpone it for three years’ because they know that within the three years, they will provide these groups with money to come and buy your votes,” he said.

“There is no problem. If you are given money, take it, it is your right. Take it and do the right thing. When we contested with the National Congress here in Juba and all over South Sudan in 2010, what happened? They brought money to the South here, but I told you then at the Garang Mausoleum that this money is yours.

“If it is given to you, take it and give us your vote. If the same thing happens, we will tell you that message.”

Attempted coup

Former vice-president turned rebel leader Machar has described the election postponement as an embarrassment.

President Kiir says the three-year pre-election period will now be used to conduct a population census and hold national healing and reconciliation.

Kiir was elected in April 2010 as president of the then regional Government of Southern Sudan, and named Dr Machar, a controversial politician with a big ethnic backing, his vice-president.

At independence, Mr Kiir became the newest country’s president, with Dr Machar remaining his deputy.

However, differences between the two persisted.

READ: Machar, Kiir fell out before independence

Dr Machar, who was critical of the government and had reportedly launched a bid to oust his boss, was sacked in a Cabinet reshuffle in July 2013.

After five months of bickering within the ruling party, an attempted coup shook Juba on December 15, 2014.

President Kiir blamed the failed coup plot on Dr Machar, who denied the allegations.

A peace deal the two principals signed in Addis Ababa last Friday has so far faltered as fighting continued between the rebels and government troops on several fronts.