Nhial Deng Nhial, the minister for presidential affairs, earlier this afternoon, in a press release, said that consultations are underway regarding the reconstitution of the Transitional Legislative Assembly and the formation of state governments and urged the public for patience. 

“In light of stories trending on social media and reported by some media houses across the country regarding the delay in the reconstitution of the Transitional Legislative Assembly and the formation of State Governments, the Ministry of Presidential Affairs would like to inform the public that work is ongoing on both files and announcement will be made as soon as consultations are organized,” Nhial Deng said in a statement obtained by Radio Tamazuj.

According to the minister, the submission of the list containing the names of proposed legislators and state government officials by one or two parties to the president does not signal the end of the consultation process in an environment where responsibility-sharing falls on more parties. 

Nhial Deng added, “In recognition of this complexity, the ministry urges the members of the public to exercise patience as consultations with the remaining parties are finalized.”

“Since this process emphasizes transparency, collegiality, and diligence, we expect all the parties to continue upholding these attributes of the Revitalized Peace Agreement as a way of ensuring the spirit of the agreement is not overtaken by the urge to sensationalize this important process,” Nhial Deng said. 

Radio Tamazuj today morning published and broke the news story which quoted SPLM-IO’s Manawa Peter Gatkouth and SSOA’s Josephine Lagu saying that they had each submitted their lists for constitutional post holders and that they expected the process to be finalized very soon. 

Meanwhile, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), in a press release this afternoon, welcomed the news that the reconstituted national assembly and the state governments were about to be formed. 

“CEPO welcomes this information and is strongly urging the other parties that form the incumbent Transitional Government of National Unity and Former Detainees to inform the public about their commitment to the formation of full-fledged Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity. It will be a great gift for this 2020 festival season for crossing to 2021 if a Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity is formed before 1st January 2021,” the statement from CEPO read.  

According to CEPO, the long delay in forming a full-fledged Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity is contributing effectively in making citizens lose trust and confidence in the peace accord as the final framework for transitioning South Sudan from violence to peace.  

“It is the primary responsibility of South Sudan parties’ signatories to the peace accord to create public trust and confidence in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan. Citizens’ ownership of the peace accord is determined by the positive attitudes and actions of the signatories to the peace accord,” CEPO’s Edmund Yakani stressed.

“Any failure from 31st December 2020 in forming the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity is an absolute demonstration of lack of political will to implement the peace accord including transitioning the country from violence to peace by the parties signatories to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan,” the statement added.

CEPO also urged the signatories to the peace accord to ensure that they honour the enforcement of 35% for women, inclusion youth, and persons with disabilities in their appointments.