By Bida Elly David
As South Sudan grapples with economic crises and slow-paced implementation of peace agreement, a political analyst worries over a push for elections.
In an interview with No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Mr. James Boboya, a political analyst suggests, leaders must consider ensuring economic and political stability before elections.
“The government should address the ongoing economic catastrophe and other pressing political issues before proceeding with elections,” Boboya suggests.
For Boboya, it is dangerous to hold elections while citizens are starving and also without implementing critical provisions in the 2018 peace agreement.
“It’s a violation of freedom to expect starving citizens to vote for leaders,” he stressed.
Boboya stresses the importance of addressing key frameworks before proclaiming elections.
The analyst also observes the need for a stable economy, a permanent constitution, proper funding, and fulfilment of security arrangements.
Boboya believed that focusing on the permanent constitution would provide a mechanism for dispute resolution and ensure justice in case of electoral issues and crises.
The political expert also expressed concern over the lack of meaningful conversation between parties regarding the ongoing crisis.
He warned that ignoring pressing issues could lead to further problems down the line.
Boboya emphasized the necessity of discussing the frameworks required for a fair and credible election, with the permanent constitution playing a crucial role.
“When there are issues and crisis that come because of elections, the constitution becomes the only mechanism to dispute resolution, guarantees justice,’’ he noted
“We have to make sure that structures that support securing credible is needed and ought to be put in place as well as funded.’’
Boboya shared research findings that indicated a lack of civil interest in the upcoming elections due to slow progress and unmet expectations.
He mentioned that a majority of South Sudanese believed that the implementation of the peace agreement was heading in the wrong direction.
“We did studies in the recent and the findings suggest that 61% of South Sudanese believe that the implementation of the peace agreement is going the wrong direction,’’ he said.
He noted that only 43% of the respondents suggest that the peace agreement is going per what is required.
Additionally, he highlighted the need to fund the electoral process, as it demonstrated their commitment to supporting the people amidst the economic tragedy.
Early this week, Hailu Gonfa, the head of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), voiced concerns about the upcoming 2024 elections.
He said the implementation of security arrangements remained uncertain, raising doubts about the feasibility of conducting elections.
However, some parties have maintained that they are ready for the elections. The SPLM-Io expresses doubt.