The call was made on Friday evening by the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) which argued that engagement of the two powerful rival political groups can create mistrust among the public and may return the world’s youngest country to violence similar to the outbreak of war in December 2013.
“Community Empowerment for Progress Organization is urging the SPLM and SPLM-IO to take responsibility of not creating political tension that will develop to worse and increase public mistrust and lack of confidence on them as peace partners are not ready to transition the country from violence to peace through the implementation of the Revitalized agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS),” the CEPO statement reads in part.
Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of the CEPO said the civil society watchdog is disturbed by the public disagreements between the two parties over conduct of elections even as the parties haven’t yet come together for a roadmap on how to conduct the would-be 2023 elections.
“Through our electoral observation initiative, we are disturbed that the SPLM and SPLM-IO have begun electoral political frictions already and this is during unclear political environment for conduct of elections,” Yakani said.
“It is clear that the preparation for conduct of elections is not yet done as required by electoral legal frameworks. If the SPLM and SPLM-IO are engaging on early elections campaigns it is essential that both parties use right language that does trigger political confrontation and unhealthy provocation among them,” he added.
The outspoken activist said “Elections is great tool for democratic, peaceful and honorable transfer of state power from one individual or group to another. Elections end up as sources of deadly violence if the process for the well preparation is always undermined. Any shortcomings in the process for well preparations for conduct of national general elections normally it leads to violent and incredible conduct of elections.”
The CEPO further urged the two rival parties “to take responsibility of honoring, observing and enforcing the required standards for well preparation for conduct of national general elections. Any attempt to conduct elections without meeting the standards of well preparation for elections it will be a grave mistake for the entities behind the attempt.”