‘Gov’t does not want elections’ – Dr. Lam

KHARTOUM – South Sudan’s prominent opposition leader Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin has accused the government of intentionally causing delays in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement saying it does not want to hold elections.

This comes after the office of the president said in a statement last week that it does not plan to hold elections next year given the delays in the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement which calls for elections at the end of the transitional period in 2022.

A US-based activist, Peter Biar Ajak, had accused the government of brutality against citizens and urged Western governments to pressure the regime to make sure that elections are conducted as provided for in the agreement.

In an interview with the Juba-based Eye Radio, Dr. Lam Akol who is the chairperson of the opposition National Democratic Movement (NDM) and the secretary-general of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), said the SPLM-IG under Kiir has not right under the agreement to decide on when to conduct elections.

“It is not the right of any party to decide what to do regarding provisions of the peace agreement,” Dr. Lam said.

“The peace agreement has put the timelines for all the activities and all the issues that have been agreed by the parties, and all the timelines must be respected,” he added.

He accused the government of intentionally delaying the implementation of the agreement so that it delay conduct of elections which is one of the most important parts of the revitalized peace agreement.

“You know all along the government does not want to hold elections. This is clear from the delays they have been doing from the reunification of the army and creating a national army,” he stated.