South Sudan 2023 elections: reality or exaggerated dream?

Though the 2023 election agenda has hardly been a topic of discussion among the political parties during the transitional period, the country’s ruling party, SPLM, is currently busily popularising its camp, affirming preparations for general elections come July 2023.

But amid this hype from the SPLM, political pundits, activists, citizens, and some peace partners are cautious about the debate. They have been pointing to the country’s unpreparedness, not to mention the slow implementation of the peace agreement, as a possible hindrance to that exercise.

Senior SPLM leaders have lately hit the road to roll out what seems to be a party popularity drive. For instance, the Vice President for Economic Cluster, Dr James Wani Igga, has been seen moving the crowds in Western Equatoria State’s capital, Yambio, preparing citizens for the forthcoming elections. It was not the first time that Dr Igga sounded the alarm. He made a similar call last year after the reconstitution of the national parliament, in which he called on the party members to invest in diligent service delivery and planning for the election.

In addition, the Presidential Press Secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny, in January this year, said the country was not ready to waste any more time again on the elections as provided in the peace accord. 

This invites the big question: is it possible to have the polls as anticipated in the peace agreement, or is it a mirage? And what are the concerns raised by some peace partners who are averse to the plan?

Conflicting views

When the election discourse gained its footing last year, the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar Teny, who is the SPLM-IO leader, argued last year that there would be no free, fair, and transparent elections in 2023 if the provisions in the peace pact were not fully implemented.

The second most top leader outlined the sluggish implementation of the security arrangement as one of the hindrances towards achieving free and fair elections.

On the same note, Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, the Vice President for Youth and Gender Cluster, who concurred with Dr Machar, argued that the voters were still in the refugee camps and there was a need to conduct repatriations, among other logistical preparations.

Independent takes

Assist. Prof. Dr Kuol Nyuon, a political scientist based in Juba, questions whether the ruling party was not simply polluting the air with election propaganda.

“There are no indicators that there are going to be elections in 2023. What is currently happening is just some kind of pressure being given among the parties, trying to pollute the environment by suggesting that something is being done, “he told The City Review in an exclusive interview on Wednesday in Juba.  

“But we want to see tangible things that are being done to lead the country to the elections,” he added.

According to Dr Nyuon, if the ruling party is serious about the forthcoming elections, it should be logical to undertake basic prerequisites as opposed to statements.

The analyst stated that leading the process through Parliament to pass the laws that are concerned with elections like the Political Parties Act, Elections Act as well as reconstituting the Political Parties Council, as the peace agreement entails,

Dr Nyuon then told Dr Machar and VP Nyandeng to not only cite challenges without capitalising on the most urgent solutions.

“You know, Dr Machar and VP Rebecca are part of the unity government and there is no way they could lament the unimplemented security arrangement when they are doing nothing about it. What are they contributing to it since they are part of the government? He questioned.

According to the analyst, such excuses could be another way of prolonging their stay in power.

Mary James, a Juba based resident, said the looming elections might be chaotic if they are executed without the proper level of organisation.

“I am thinking of even leaving the country at that time when elections come because it might not be free,” she explains.

Civil Society

Peter Malir Biar, Executive Director for the Christian Agency for Peace and Development (CAPaD), questioned how elections would be possible when the government is failing to address the insecurity and flood-related challenges across the country.  

“The voters are still on run in the refugee camps; unified forces have not been graduated.” Insecurity is raging across the country. Floods can’t be talked about, “he said.

“So how do refugees, IDPs; people displaced internally vote. What strategy do they have to make sure the people of South Sudan produce their own government?’’ he asked.

Though it is the right time to go to the polls, Malir wonders if there are great minds to execute the tasks.

“There are no functional electoral institutions. When we talk about elections, we need to talk about those institutions having the financial and human resources to be able to conduct elections, “he said.

The activist also doubted whether the peace partners and regional bodies would support going to the polls, citing an unsafe environment.

He then argued if it was high time for civil society to push the unity government to fully implement the deal, revealing that “it was not late to achieve all requirements for elections if the government was willing to work for peace.’’  

He concluded that such requirements are achievable, even within six months.

Peace Provisions

The Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCISS) stipulates elections 60 days before the end of the Transitional Period which was already extended for one more year to July 2023.

During the transitional period, the unity government was also supposed to restructure and reconstitute existing commissions and institutions at the national level including an independent Electoral Commission.

Within six months prior to the signing of the peace agreement, the Reconstituted Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) was to review the Political Parties Act, 2012, and ensure the Act complies with the international best practices for safe and democratic registration, but it did not take place.

Not later than 12 months after the start of the transitional period, the President, in consultation with the peace parties, and with the approval of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, was to reconstitute a competent and impartial National Elections Commission (NEC) to conduct elections.

The government was expected to address the issues of repatriation, resettlement, rehabilitation, and reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees as critical factors affecting peacebuilding and elections throughout the Provisional Period.

Regional perspective

In Kenya, the preparations gearing towards general elections are put into effect almost two years before the elections or more than 12 months before the elections.

For instance, Kenya’s Independent Electoral Boundary Commission (IEBC) commenced its processes for the August 9, 2022 elections in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

“They (IEBC officials) did campaigns for voters’ registration, as well as restructuring of the commission itself,” said Martin Wang, a South Sudanese who is well versed with Kenya’s politics.

Additionally, there are five key activities in the run-up to the general elections in Kenya. These include voters’ registration, audit of the voters’ register, the nomination of the candidates by the parties, election technological deployment, and results in management.

It is also mandated to regulate the manner in which political parties nominate their candidates as it develops an election result management framework that ensures proper management of election results.

Mr Wang said South Sudan needs to adopt election technology and electronic electoral technology to regulate election processes if the government is ready for elections in 2023.