By Nakwam Rose
Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has welcomed the reopening of parliament and called for peace.
In a statement, Yakani expressed gratitude to President Salva Kiir and Speaker of the National Assembly, Jemma Nunu Kumba, for their agreement to reopen parliament.
The parliament, which has been in recess for an extended period, is set to resume debates on the first week of June.
Yakani believes the prolonged closure of parliament is linked to the persistent disagreements between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Government (SPLM-IG), which he states have severely impacted the effective functioning of members of parliament.
“This recess has taken too much time, and our honorable members are supposed to be in session to make critical decisions on the fate of ending the transitional period,” Yakani stressed. “However, we are aware that parliament could not reopen because of the ongoing political tensions and crises between the two main parties.”
He emphasized that authorities should prioritize addressing the critical issues threatening the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) before anything else, especially the reopening of parliament.
This, he argues, would motivate citizens to support the country’s progress.
“Parliament needs to open, but before that, addressing the current political challenges on the table is essential to regain trust and confidence among political actors to deliver the pending acts of the R-ARCSS,” he stated. “This would help citizens regain trust and confidence in how to transition the country from violence to peace through the implementation of the R-ARCSS.”
The activist urged the SPLM-IO and SPLM-IG to reach a mutual agreement through dialogue and set aside their differences, which he believes are evident in their public gestures and presentations.
“My appeal to the leadership of the two ruling parties is that they need to embrace dialogue for fixing their internal party fractions because it’s very essential,” Yakani said. “Indicators show that cultural aggressions among the members of these two parties are growing daily, as evidenced by confrontational statements and the behavior of politicians at political events.”
Yakani further stressed the importance of public intervention if the political deadlock persists, reiterating his strong emphasis on mutual dialogue among leaders to mitigate political tensions.
Furthermore, he urged the newly selected members of parliament to initiate change by fostering peace and mending the strained relations between the two parties.
This, he asserted, would not only unlock stability but also propel the country forward.
“We are aware that the new blood coming into the SPLM should be a force that ensures the successful and genuine transition of the country from the current situation to peace and stability, addressing the emerging tensions between the government and the SPLM-IO politically,” Yakani added.