September 16, 2024 - South Sudan's peace partners have now agreed to extend the transitional period for another 24 months. They have also postponed the elections that where scheduled for December 22 this year to December 22, 2026.
No surprises there. These are elitist political transactions. Extensions keep them in power. But they make general declarations that these extension are for the benefit of South Sudan.
Since the South Sudanese warring parties, now peace partners, signed the Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) in 2015 and revitalized it in 2018, all we have witnessed is extension after extension and postponement after postponement.
Meanwhile, the people of South Sudan continue to suffer as the political class benefit from rentier capitalism.
This has now become the modus operandi in South Sudan. They asked for extensions to complete the implementation of all the provisions of the agreement only to spent the extension period wasting time only to ask for more extension again.
In 2022, they asked for 24 months to complete all the provisions of the R-ARCISS and prepare for elections in December 2024. This has now come to pass.
Now, the peace partners have arrogated to themselves another 24 months, which is another 24 months in power without accountability mechanisms, to complete the remaining provisions.
We can only hope.
But going by the history of the implementation and the sour relationship between President Kiir and Dr, Riek Machar, I wouldn't hold my breath. South Sudan is being held hostage. Some South Sudanese scholars are now calling this state capture.
These extensions are all about power, rent economy and political relevance.
By the Editor
