‘Peace agreement did not give political freedoms in South Sudan’-OPP’s Kornelio Kon

Kornelio Kon Ngu, leader of the National Alliance of Political Parties. [File Photo]

The leader of the National Alliance of Political Parties and a leading member of the Other Political Parties (OPP), Kornelio Kon Ngu, has said the revitalized peace agreement does not allow politicians full freedom to exercise their political rights.

The leader of the National Alliance of Political Parties and a leading member of the Other Political Parties (OPP), Kornelio Kon Ngu, has said the revitalized peace agreement does not allow politicians full freedom to exercise their political rights.

He said the provisions of the security arrangements, the drafting of the permanent constitution, reconciliation, and healing, the voluntary return of the displaced, compensation for those affected, and the Hybrid Court face implementation challenges. 

Kon told Radio Tamazuj that there is no discourse on the stalled clauses and that the agreement is not on track.

“There are no political freedoms now and political seminars cannot be organized since the signing of the agreement and the peace agreement is not on the right track,” Kon said. 

Concerning the appointment of the third deputy speaker of the national assembly from the National Alliance, Kon said, “The name has been submitted but the appointment decision has not been issued yet and we cannot protest and look at the main parties and want to get them to the end of the station, whether they accept the appointment or reject it.” 

He explained that the peace agreement gave the OPP three portfolios in the transitional government; a minister, a deputy minister, and the third deputy speaker of parliament.

“The other parties divided the portfolios and the minister’s position went to the umbrella parties and the deputy minister to the four parties,” Kon explained. “The third deputy speaker in parliament went to the National Alliance in the personality of Kornelio Kon, but so far the appointment has not been made although we submitted the name to the appointing authorities.” 

Last year, the coalition of political parties said they had agreed to nominate Korneliu Kon as the third deputy speaker of the revitalized national parliament. 

The National Parliament consists of 550 members, representing the parties to the revitalized peace agreement.