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Meet election deadline for smooth transition, South Sudan urged

Thursday May 12 2022
South Sudan's Salva Kiir and Riek Machar.

South Sudan's Salva Kiir and Riek Machar. South Sudan's peace monitoring agency asks the Assembly to urgently enact legislations to meet elections deadlines as stipulated in the 2018 revitalized peace deal. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

By DAVID MAYEN

Juba,

South Sudan’s peace monitoring agency has appealed to the Revitalized Transitional Legislative Assembly to urgently enact legislations aimed at meeting the elections deadlines as stipulated in the 2018 revitalized peace deal.

While officialising a sensitisation workshop on the peace deal in Juba on Tuesday, Gen Charles Tai Gituai, the interim chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), urged the revitalised National Assembly to prioritise and focus on the legislative preparations for election processes.

Maj Gen Gituai said this would ensure appropriate legislation that will ensure the election process is achieved within the timelines.

“I wish to underscore to you as members of the R-TNLA, the importance of a people-led and people-owned Permanent Constitution, which will be the cornerstone of the state of South Sudan, preparing the way for a smooth transition through free, fair and credible elections,” he said.

“As the legislative arm of government, I take this opportunity to remind you of the critical role your institution plays in ensuring that the necessary legislation is enacted to enable this process to commence expeditiously.”

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Maj Gen Gituai stressed that there is anxiety among parties to the peace deal and peace partners regarding how the outstanding tasks of the peace deal will be implemented within the remaining period of the transition.

“I call on the Parties to the R-ARCSS to continue to build on the peace dividends made so far, adhere to their commitments to peace, take steps to restore broken relationships, build trust and confidence among yourselves, turn a new page and inculcate the necessary political will, which shall move the country forward towards enduring peace and stability,” he added.

In a workshop that brought 550 members of the R-TNLA, the peace body appealed to lawmakers to have a better understanding of the peace deal and critical tasks needed to be achieved.

As time elapses, South Sudan is yet to have a unified professional national army, and form a hybrid court and a truth and reconciliation commission.

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