Watchdog warns pre-mature electoral campaigns may lead to violence

JUBA, JUNE 14, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A South Sudan civil society watchdog has warned the politicians against pre-mature electoral campaigns before key provisions of the revitalized peace agreement are implemented, saying it could lead to violence.

In a statement this morning, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said that its domestic elections observation unit has observed increase in premature electoral campaigns which it said may lead to electoral violence.

“CEPO Elections Domestic Observation recently observed some political parties pre-maturely waging elections campaigns with its members in various towns across the country. This political parties’ campaigns are clearly provided by the increase in media publication of some political parties’ declarations of readiness for participation in the forthcoming national general elections scheduled for December 2024,” the statement said.

“Pre-mature elections campaign is already witnessing registration of potential threats for electoral violence. This is proved by the political parties’ cry for absence of open political for some political parties,” it added.

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of CEPO, said pre-mature electoral campaigns may cause lost of confidence on the credibility of elections among the citizens. This, he said, is because of the absence of e legal frameworks for electoral process.

“These pre-mature political parties’ election-led campaign are likely to increase public mistrust and loss of confidence on the elections credibility especially when some political parties enjoy unrestricted political space while other political parties totally face restriction of political space,” he said.

“Without proper presence of electoral legal frameworks and institutional set up, it is risky and dangerous for some political parties to start waging political parties’ elections campaign,” the prominent activist said.

He stressed that “some individual political candidates have begun waging electoral campaign languages in several social communities’ events. Indicators of the community’s threats were observed. It is essential that political parties and some individuals should stop these premature electoral campaign activities.

“Any elections campaign without the official declaration by constitutional mandated national institution such as National Elections Commission is greatly risk and posting possible triggers for occurrence of election-related violence.”