SPLM-IO says it won’t hold convention until when parties agree on elections timeline

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has said that it won’t conduct its national convention until when the parties to the revitalized peace agreement agree on when exactly the elections will be conducted.

This is after the group’s rival Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IG) led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit said it is ready for elections at the end of transitional period in 2023.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Tuesday, Dut Majokdit, SPLM-IO member of National Liberation Council and close ally of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, said his group won’t conduct its convention until when the parties agree on when to organize elections.

“We will not conduct our elections unless we are sure that the provisions of the revitalized peace agreement are fully implemented by the parties specially the transitional security arrangements,” he said.

Asked as to why the group is so adamant to conduct of elections over the security arrangements, Majokdit said the SPLM-IO is not afraid of elections but want a free and fair vote which he said will not happen unless the rival forces are in place as a unified national army.

“In politics, there is nothing like you trust your friend or your partner. If the other partner does not want to respect what he has signed, this is something that will trigger mistrust and we are not afraid of elections,” he said.

“We are saying let us conduct elections and let the people of South Sudan chose the leader that represent their wish. But we must first reunify the army and the whole security sector to avoid rigging of elections which we believe is the case to happen if we don’t follow the provision of the agreement,” he said.