A European Uion official has cast doubt over holding watershed elections in South Sudan next December given the combination of factors which undermine this prospect.
EU ambassador to Juba Pelle Enarsson on Monday warned that current political uncertainties, insecurity and technical deficits persist to render holding the much delayed polls a daunting task for the world’s newest independent nation.
South Sudan which is scheduled to go to the polls in December 2026, has never organised democractic elections since it attained independence from the rest of Sudan in July 2011, thanks to the outbreak of a civil war shortly afterward.
It is Emarsson’s opinion that the absence of a political consensus and lack of adequate preparations barely seven months to the scheduled vote, constitute an environment that is not conducive to holding free, fair and credible elections.
He said peace has to reign before elections can take place in a country still reeling from the outbreak of renewed conflict last year.
Oil-rich South Sudan has been blighted by civil conflict since the still detained former vice-president Riak Machar was accused of orchestrating a failed coup in December 2013.
Despite several false dawns for peace after agreements between President Salva Kiir and his age old political foe Machar and which ultimately led to a power-sharing unity government in 2018, the restive situation prompted the postponement of elections on several occasions.
However, President Kiir’s government appears to be pressing ahead with preparations for the landmark vote, calling on relevant financial institutions to release funds to support the country’s electoral process.
WN/as/APA