The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) has expressed worry over the slow implementation of critical election tasks.
Speaking during the 35th RJMEC plenary meeting in Juba on Thursday, Maj Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, the interim chairperson of the peace monitoring body, said he is concerned that with barely seven months to elections, signatories to the peace agreement can implement the critical tasks for the conduct of elections.
“It is concerning that with seven months to the elections, there is still no evidence of sufficient preparations for the conduct of elections and implementation of the critical election-related tasks,” he said. “These include among others the completion of the judicial reforms process, review of the Judicial Act, and the enactment of the revised National Security Service Act (Amendment) Bill 2023 to inter-alia create an enabling civic and political space for citizens’ participation in governance.”
Gituai added: “There is a need for full operationalization and funding of the PPC, the National Election Commission (NEC) and the National Council Review of Commission (NCRC), the conduct by the NEC’s elections-related activities such as the establishment of the subsidiary electoral management bodies and state level establishment of procedures for the voter registration and support to civic education and voter outreach the application of the voter as registered.”
while commending the meeting between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar for the commencement of the second phase of the security arrangements, Gituai urged the top leadership to expedite the process.
Furthermore, he stressed the need for the parties to enact the Permanent Constitution that will guide the conduction of elections.
“There is a need for the completion of phase 1 and phase 2 of unification of forces and funding for implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR), addressing the challenges of reconstruction, repatriation, resettlement, rehabilitation, and re-integration of IDPs and returnees,” Gituai stressed. “Also, implementation of the legal and policy frameworks which enhance transparency and accountability in economic and financial sectors, establishment and operationalization of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing, and the Compensation and Reparation Authority, and making of a Permanent Constitution in accordance with the Constitution-making Process Act 2022 to guide the conduct of elections.”