Kiir, Machar to meet over would-be 2023 elections tomorrow

Kiir, Machar to meet over would-be 2023 elections tomorrow

Speaking to Sudans Post via a phone call from the capital Juba this evening, presidential affairs minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said a meeting will be convened tomorrow between Kiir and Machar and will discuss the many disagreements within the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement including the would-be 2023 elections

JUBA – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny will on Wednesday meet in the country’s capital Juba and discuss the prospects for elections slated for end of the transitional period in 2023, presidential minister has said.

President Kiir has vowed to organize the much-awaited elections in 2023 even without the consent of the opposition leaders in the country. He also said that poll which will serve as a democracy test for South Sudan, will be conducted without the population census which usually precede elections.

For his part, First Vice President Machar says he won’t allow elections to take place in 2023 unless the security arrangements, one of the provisions of the revitalized peace agreement which provides for reunification of the rival forces, is complete before the 2023 dateline.

Speaking to Sudans Post via a phone call from the capital Juba this evening, presidential affairs minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said a meeting will be convened tomorrow between Kiir and Machar and will discuss the many disagreements within the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement including the would-be 2023 elections.

“This is to confirm to you that President Salva Kiir Mayardit will on Wednesday meet Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the First Vice President, and the two will discuss the prospects for elections in 2023 because the time is running and His Excellency the President is worried on that,” Marial Benjamin told Sudans Post this evening from Juba.

The senior government official further said “this meeting of the presidency will be attended by the vice-presidents and the deputy chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, H.E. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Daglo and the outcome will guide the parties in the way forw3ard on peace implementation.”