Lam Akol seeks dialogue on elections for peace, inclusivity

JUBA – South Sudan’s prominent opposition leader Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin has urged political parties to engage in dialogue on the election process, stressing the need for consensus to ensure credible, inclusive, and peaceful polls.

Akol, leader of the National Democratic Movement (NDM), made the call after meeting parliament speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba on Tuesday in Juba.

“Our first demand on our colleagues and on ourselves is to have dialogue,” Akol told reporters. “We as political parties must sit down and discuss how to approach the election process.”

Akol, who recently returned after three years in Sudan, emphasized the need for good-faith discussions among parties to the 2018 peace agreement due to limited time remaining.

“Election is an inclusive process, it involves all of us, and therefore it can’t be done by one party or obstructed by one party,” he said. “It must be a joint decision by all of us.”

Akol argued that postponing, delaying, or conducting elections requires consensus among peace agreement parties.

“By the agreement’s provisions, they are the ones who can amend it,” he said, citing an article used to extend the transitional period in 2022. “The same article can be used to shorten the period for 2023 elections, but it must be a joint decision.”

South Sudan is scheduled to hold its first-ever elections in December. However, disagreement among parties’ casts doubt on its feasibility.

President Salva Kiir, leader of the ruling SPLM faction, insists on holding elections despite outstanding tasks in the peace agreement.

Conversely, First Vice President Riek Machar and his SPLM-IO advocate for postponement until all provisions are implemented.