Assembly announces readiness for elections as elections Bill passed.

South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) has announced that South Sudan is ready to conduct general elections in 2024.

This statement comes after South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit signed the controversial National Elections Act 2012 as an Amended 2023 bill into law.

Rt. Hon. Jemma Nunu Kumba, the Speaker of the NTLA revealed that the country can proceed with other necessary arrangements to pave way for elections.Nunu expressed that the bill is considered an important element in the Revitalized Peace Agreement, as it paves the way for the electoral process to commence.
“The bill is an important element in the Revitalized peace agreement for the process of elections to commence,” Nunu affirms.
The Speaker emphasized that the country is prepared to initiate preparations for the elections by establishing mechanisms for political parties to conduct them.She said, “South Sudan is now ready to start the preparation for the elections by putting in place the mechanism for parties to do elections.”However, it is worth noting that the bill was passed by parliament last week in the absence of lawmakers from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO).
Members of the SPLM-IO walked out of the parliamentary session in protest against the passage of the National Election Act, arguing that it would lead to an “undemocratic, unfair, and non-credible” vote.
One of the contentious provisions of the National Election Act 2023 is that the president-elect will have the power to appoint 5 percent of legislators after elections.This provision has been met with opposition from SPLM-IO MPs who argue that it undermines democratic principles.
However, lawmakers from the SPLM-IG defend this move, stating that it aims to protect minority groups, including those with special needs.