CEPO warns of critical 18 months ahead as the extended roadmap nears end

The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has reminded the transitional unity government to expedite the constitutional making process in order to pave way for free, fair and credible election in December 2024.

Edmund Yakani, the executive director for CEPO, welcomed the move by authorities to hold the inaugural meeting of the joint taskforce for coordination of the constitutional-making and electoral processes.

 “Sincerely, the government needs to demonstrate serious responsibility and commitment for speeding up the process for constitutional making and the conduct of elections. We encourage the government to take genuine commitment on speeding up the processes for constitutional making and conduct of national general elections,” Yakani said in a statement issued in Juba on Wednesday.

It said that June, 2023 is a critical month for implementing the pending tasks that are key to creating conducive environment for conduct of peaceful and credible general elections.

Yakani said that the outstanding tasks include enactment of the National Election Law, reconstitution of the National Elections Commission, Political Parties Council and National Constitutional Review Commission.

He warned that the remaining 18 months of the extended roadmap, may end without any tangible results if no serious action is taken by concerned authorities.

 “Our national parliamentarians should take critical role in deliberating on the National Elections Law. CEPO is urging the government with due respect and honor to include direct participation and representation of the civil society and persons with disabilities in the joint taskforces for the coordination of implementation of the constitutional making and electoral process,” Yakani said.