The parties have to complete the formation of the unity government to help in the fight against coronavirus in the nation, says Rajab Mohandis Representative of South Sudan Civil Society Organizations in the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission or R-JMEC.
Government Spokesperson Michael Makuei Lueth confirms that the cases of COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan are still 4, including one South Sudanese and that they are all in good condition.
He calls on the public to follow the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Rajab Mohandis regrets that it is unfortunate that both the state and the national revitalised governments have not been formed. He calls for urgent formation to fight against the pandemic.
‘Now the national government is providing a national response to this pandemic. There is also need to have a similar level of leadership in the states and the counties to be able to implement the decisions of this COVID-19 national taskforce in their various states and control the borders and work in their respective states and areas, especially those at the border lines, but this is missing. It is unfortunate, and there is need for the national government and the parties to work very first to finalize the formation of the unity government’, says Mohandis.
He says the delay signifies weakness from the parties, especially the appointees.
‘The incomplete formation of the revitalized transitional government, the parliament has not been established both the revitalized transitional national legislative Assembly and also the revitalized council of states. These are wings of the government that are supposed to provide over site and work directly with the executives. So this is a very serious point of concern and connected to that, is the failure to form the governments at the state and county levels. This is so unfortunate and is a sign of weakness and failure from the parties particularly the appointing authorities’, says Mohandis.
The R-JMEC civil society representative stresses that South Sudan is in critical situation where the government is supposed to be fully formed to work together.
‘We are at a very critical situation. Our country has been badly divided by the war, we have also been divided by the many states which were created. We are at a point where we need to work and bring our people together. The different states are now coming back to the ten states. So you find three or four states uniting to go back to their former mother states in different areas. So it is a time where the people need political leadership in the state to unite them”.
Mohandis adds that completion of the unity government will help in the implementation of the national decisions in the fight against the virus.
Rajab Mohandis says as the world; including South Sudan is facing the crisis of COVID 19 pandemic, it is unfortunate to delay the formation.