Museveni calls for elections in South Sudan

L-R: Speaker of Parliament of Uganda Ms Anitah Among, Speaker of Parliament for South Sudan, Ms Jemma Nunu Kemba, and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Uganda Mr Thomas Tayebwa while meeting President Museveni at Nakasero State Lodge on Wednesday (Photo | PPU)

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has called for peaceful elections in South Sudan if the country is to gain lasting peace.

In a press release by the Presidential Press Unit, Mr Museveni made the call Wednesday while meeting the Speaker of Parliament of South Sudan, Jemma Nunu Kemba at State House Entebbe.

"If you conduct elections, the nation will not have arguments to answer the questions of 'who and what' regarding governance of the country because the elections minimise arguments and internal quarrels," said the President, adding that elections are an approval for legitimacy expression.

For almost eight years, South Sudan has been embroiled in a vicious war caused by jostling for political supremacy between President Salva Kiir and his current first vice president Riek Machar. Ever since the country gained independence in 2011, it has never held presidential elections partly due to the ongoing war.

According to the Revitalized Peace Agreement that was signed to end the fighting, the country was supposed to hold elections in 2023 but all indications are that this might not be possible because of failure to meet key milestones of the peace agreement including the total silencing of guns and the unification of the national army.

Mr Museveni emphasized that the "who and what" questions make the political situation difficult. Ms Kumba assured Museveni that South Sudan is at peace. The meeting was also attended by the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda, Ms Anita Among and her Deputy, Mr Thomas Tayebwa.

Meanwhile, Mr Museveni also met with the Deputy Speaker Chamber of Deputies of Parliament of Rwanda, Edda Mukabagwisa who was accompanied by the Rwandan Ambassador Joseph Rutabana and MP Munyanjeyo Theogene.

According to the press release, the discussions centered on the common socioeconomic and political ties that the two countries have shared since time immemorial.

Uganda and Rwanda have had a frosty relationship for more than two years resulting from accusations of supporting each other’s enemies to cause political instability.

But of late the relationship has warmed up and recently, the Rwandan President Paul Kagame visited Uganda after a long time of staying away. 

Museveni expressed his gratitude on behalf of Ugandans to the two visiting Speakers for honouring the occasion at which he presented the "State of the Nation Address" that took place on June 7, at Kololo National Ceremonial ground in Kampala.