Museveni told to push for genuine peace implementation ahead of meeting with Kiir  

JUBA – The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has appealed to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to push for the full and genuine implementation of the revitalized peace agreement as he prepares to meet President Salva Kiir Mayardit on the sidelines of a regional summit.

Kiir on Thursday left the capital Juba for Ugandan capital Kampala where he is expected to take part in the summit of heads of state of East and Horn of  Africa in which regional leaders will discuss climate change and immigration issues.

Kiir on the sidelines of the summit is expected to meet President Museveni and discuss the roadmap that has been developed by the parties to guide the country on the implementation of remaining tasks of the transitional period leading to elections.

In a statement, the CEPO said it is impressed that President Kiir will meet with the Ugandan president to discuss the peace process and stressed that the East African country is one of the guarantors of the revitalized peace agreement along with Sudan.

“CEPO is impressed that on the sidelines of the climate change meeting in Uganda, President Kiir with meet Uganda’s president over the status of the peace agreement implementation. Uganda is one of the guarantors of the R-ARCSS although the role of Uganda was not so proactive for sometimes back,” the CEPO said.

The advocacy group urged the Ugandan president “to help in advising the political leaders of South Sudan not to rush to premature elections and not to have blanket extension of the transitional period for over 24 months. South Sudan requires urgent transition from violence to peace through proactive political commitment and will. It is time for the Uganda president to stand with the voices of the citizens of south Sudan that last chance for extension of transitional period should not extend beyond 18 months from 22 February 2023.”

CEPO’s Executive Director Edmund Yakani says “any rush to elections is pushing the country for return into violence and especially with the latest threatening am violence in Mayom county of Unity state and the tensions among the Kitgwang factions of splinted group of SPLM-IO.”

The CEPO further urged “the leadership of Uganda and Sudan including the members of IGAD and AU ad hoc committee of Rwanda, South African, Nigeria, Chad and Algeria to push South Sudan leaders to renew their political pledges for transitioning the political crisis through timely and genuine implementation of R-ARCSS.

“Creating conductive environment for credible and peaceful conduct of elections within 18 months period is realistic to the political leaders to regain trust and confidence for working together for genuine peace and stability.”