Radio Miraya
2820: Miraya Breakfast Show: Report on the Extension of the Transitional Period
The meeting of the presidency on Friday agreed that the transitional period will begin from February 2025 as recommended by both electoral institutions and security sector. The Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lombro says that "dependent critical task necessary for successful conduct of election led to the extension." We were directed by the presidency to review these institutions, made the assessment of the implementation process. But also the Constitutional Review Commission, the National Electoral Commission, the Political Capitol Council, and the National Bureau of Statistics also made the reports. And from all these reports, they made recommendations. Two or three issues were recommended. One, they did not complete all the tasks that are critical for the conduct of elections in December 2024. Two, they needed us to approve extension to the first to postpone elections and to extend transition period as a result of a postponement. We have committed, we have submitted this report, the presidency, and the presidency have endorsed that elections be postponed or delayed according to the recommendations of the security sector institutions and the elections related institutions. So that is done. So the question of suspending government by the 22nd of September 2024 does not arise anymore, its government function is usual, and this institution will continue to implement their provisions. Two, as a result of this endorsement of postponement, we have agreed to reset the transition period to begin from February 2025 to 2026, with the elections being conducted in 22nd of December 2026, so that now the first few months remaining under the current transition period is used to mobilize funds that we can now be sure that we will implement the agreement according to the new timetable. Presidential advisor on security to regard works stressed that the extension is an opportunity to implement the critical remaining protocols in the revitalized peace agreement. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) However, a civil society activist said the two-year extension has not come as a surprise because the parties to the agreement have deliberately failed to implement their roadmap, they agreed upon. The executive director of South Sudan Democratic Engagement Monitoring and Evaluation Program Merikeja Lona said the parties to the peace agreement have not fulfilled their promises as agreed. I'm disappointed because these seven people have been governing their country, and they failed to deliver what they commit to do for their people. They failed to deliver what they purport to be what people expect. They failed to deliver what they even prioritize themselves by themselves to do for their people, which is the roadmap. The roadmap is basically their own team, and they decided alone, and they extended for themselves, and they failed to do it. So the question is, what is new? What are they going to do? And I think for me, it's now not coming from the point of being worked up. But I'm asking themselves, have they realized that they failed? And have they realized that they have run out of action? Have they realized that they do not know how to do the best for this country? I think they have not. At least I'm telling them on behalf of the many voices that, to be honest, from our perspective and citizens, we think they cannot do it. Even this expansion, I don't think they can do anything. They just continue doing their team at the end of the day when we are approaching the Campbell 2026. They will do a similar team. And that means we have it to the country. We have feeling to the country. In an extraordinary city of the Council of Ministers on Saturday 14, the Cabinet has endured the extension, and that the document will be submitted to the Joint Monitoring Committee for further deliberation. The party's signature is to the agreement's belief. It is extremely important to maintain the peace, security, and relative political stability, asher-by, to supply its peace agreement. The party's, therefore, recommit activities maintain the improved trust gained by the party during intervening period, and the aim to achieve permanent peace, security, and political stability in South Sudan by ensuring that elections are conducted in a secure environment and will establish electrical systems that will deliver free, fair, credible, and democratic actions to avoid return of the country to the world. With the extension of the transitional period for another two years, the citizens have remained with mixed feelings with others supporting their move while others thinking there will never be an election as the government keeps extending their mandate. Tito Beatty, reporting for Radio Maria.