South Sudan’s presidency said Monday that it was still too early to talk of the 2018 presidential elections, and used the occasion to reiterate the government’s ability to hold general elections.
This comes after the United Nations warned South Sudan against holding elections before the ongoing war ends, saying South Sudan government should delay elections until the civil war ends.
Ateny Wek Ateny, South Sudan’s presidential spokesman, told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that it was premature to talk of the possibility of holding the presidential election in 2018.
He explained that the people of South Sudan should not talk about general elections before the transitional period ends.
Chapter 1, Article 16 of the signed peace agreement is about general elections in South Sudan. According to the 2015 peace deal, the elections must take place 60 days before the end of the transitional period, which will be in 2018.