Presidency directives of 21st October 2022 on Opening political and civic space
Juba 20th November, 2022. Today marks the first month for enforcement of the presidency directives to State Governors, Chief administrators of administrative areas and county commissioners on opening of political and civic space. The Presidency directives were communicated by Hon. Minister for presidential affairs dated 22th October 2022. https://www.eyeradio.org/presidency-instructs-governors-commissioners-to-open-political-space. Community Empowerment for Progress Organization registered three incidence of violations of the presidency instructions within the first month of the instructions. The violations were;
a) On 27th October 2022: SPLM, SPLM-IO trade accusation over harassment of members. https://www.radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/splm-splm-io-trade-accusation-over-harassment-of-members
b) On 29th October, 2022: Several members of the SPLM party led by President Salva Kiir have been harassed and detained by the SPLM-IO in Panyijiar County of Unity State, an SPLM official said. https://www.radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/kiirs-party-says-its-members-detained-in-panyijiar
c) On 17th November 2022: SPLM-IO members allegedly arrested, tortured in NBGs. https://www.eyeradio.org/splm-io-members-allegedly-arrested-tortured-in-nbgs/
These three registered incidences of the violation of the presidency instructions on opening of political and civic space demonstrates clearly that individual political hostility among the members of the parties namely SPLM and SPLM-IO is higher. These acts contribute strongly in building deficit in trust and confidence among as peace partners for genuine implementation of the R-ARCSS and the roadmap.
Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO says the political attitudes of political space restriction among the SPLM and the SPLM-IO effectively is contributing in complicating the genuine implementation of the R-ARCSS and it may get worse during the R-ARCSS roadmap period of the 24 months and dangerous towards December 2024 timeline allocated for the conduct of National General Elections. Respect of political and civic space is a key factor in contribute for public gain of trust and confidence on the political transitional process and ownership of the political transitional process in the country
Some SPLM and SPLM-IO leaders seriously need to change political attitudes towards each other for better political transitional process through the genuine implementation of the R-ARCSS/roadmap. There is a public fear that the 24 months for the extension of the transitional period may failed like the past 36 months in transitioning the country from violence to peace through R-ARCSS implementation because of the continues restriction of the political and civic space by some SPLM and SPLM-IO cadres. Mr. Yakani stressed
Finally, CEPO is urging the leadership of the SPLM and SPLM-IO to ensure that they move away from the political culture of restricting political and civic space. The expected political transitional process in South Sudan through the implementation of the R-ARCSS/roadmap cannot succeed without open/unrestricted political and civic space
