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JUBA - 29 Mar 2018

Taban loyalists propose extension of unity government's term

A youth wing loyal to the SPLM-IO faction led by South Sudan’s First Vice President Taban Deng Gai has proposed a constitutional amendment to extend President Kiir’s term when the peace process collapses.

The proposal if adopted by South Sudan’s parliament, would allow the country’s president Salva Kiir to remain as leader after his term of office is due to expire this year.

According to the 2015 peace deal signed by President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar, the elections must take place 60 days before the the transitional period comes to an end.

The SPLM-IO youth wing allied to Taban Deng said at a consultative meeting in Juba that the national parliament should stretch the term of the unity government when the revitalization process of the 2015 peace agreement fails in Addis Ababa.

South Sudan’s stakeholders are scheduled to return to Addis Ababa to resume the talks on April 26.

The youth group condemned any proposal that excludes President Kiir from power. The group further said it is against any change in the current set up of the current government.

For their part, the Former Political Detainees (FDs), who also describe themselves as SPLM leaders group, told Radio Tamazuj that the current government would be illegitimate when its term expires.

“But the government has already lost its legitimacy because the basis of the legitimacy was the 2015 peace agreement, but the president has violated it and is now implementing things of his own,” said Kosti Manibe, spokesman of former detainees.

 Henry Odwar, deputy chairman of the main opposition group led by rebel leader Riek Machar, said the current government in Juba is illegitimate.

He pointed out that there is no basis for the existence of the Kiir administration after the 2015 peace deal had collapsed in July 2016. “If the Juba government is extended by its parliament, it will continue to be illegitimate,” he said.