The civil societies in Central Equatoria State’s Yei River County and partners have launched an intensive awareness project on election preparations.
The groups involved include the Vision for Humanity South Sudan, the Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice and the Special Action for Life Transformation.
The project aims at enlightening the stakeholders on the election activities for the next three months.
The Yei River County Civil Society Forum leader, Arkangelo Modi, said the project would be used for intensive civic awareness, particularly focusing on the preparation for the election at the end of the 24 months of the extended transitional period.
“The Inclusive Governance Peace and Justice and the Vision for Humanity South Sudan came together to do the community awareness on election. The whole of last year, people were gearing for the election but unfortunately, because things never worked well particularly on the government side, it was agreed that we wait for another 24 months. We have the privilege to come to the ground and carry out this awareness,’’ he said.
The Vision for Humanity Program Manager and the leader of the Central Equatoria State Civil Society Network in Juba, Adam Kelly, explained that through the support from UNMISS, they had initiated the project in all the six counties of Central Equatorial to ensure citizens participation.
“UNMISS has supported all the six counties of Central Equatorial; Kajo-Keji, Yei, Morobo, Lainya, Terekeka and Juba. I think this is something important because the same message that we are passing here is cascaded in all the areas. The civic participation and awareness are basically to pass information concerning elections, and letting the people know about their rights and participation,” he said.
UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer and the Juba field office leader Victor N. Fasama called for a new phase of meaningful collaboration from all the civil society actors, and urged the government to support the process by granting access to the grassroots.
“I am happy that the collaboration is there between the civil societies in Yei and Juba. What I can promise you is that we will ensure you work together better. We do not want the dichotomy,” he said.
The Deputy County Executive Director for Yei River County, Ezibon Gale, called on all the stakeholders in the electoral processes to play their roles and embrace working together.
‘‘Do not you think that you are going to blame the government if there will be a failure of this election. All of you are here, and you have a role to play. We call ourselves the stakeholders. The International Committee is a secondary stakeholder. We are the primary stakeholders, including you, the civil society organizations, the politicians, the candidates, the political parties. Therefore, I am calling for all of us to demonstrate some resilience and ensure that the election that is coming should not get us unprepared.’’
He further appealed to UNIMISS to plan for fixing the bridges, including in Goli and Ohisa on the Mitika Lasu road, to allow the dissemination of awareness to the grassroots.
South Sudan was expected to hold its first ever General Election last year, but the parties to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement announced a postponement to December 2026, with the transition period under the accord, extended to February 2027.