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Makuei, also the government Spokesperson said government is ready to conduct the elections next year despite the insecurity in the country.
Reporting to questions from journalists, Makuei said elections can go ahead if the time comes even without repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons back to the country.
“We were ready for elections. People are there, the registers are there and it won’t take a month for you to have all these things,” said Makuei.
“Yes we have been talking of elections and repatriation of the displaced. When we talk about elections it should not be connected in anyway with the return of the displaced.”
Makuei said when the last elections in 2010 were held, many South Sudanese were not in the country but it was successful.
“All over the world now elections were being run even in Syria when people were being bombed but elections were being run,” he said. “This idea of associating the return of the refuges to South Sudan with elections must stop.”
He said when the 2010 elections were held; it was successful despite all the refugee camps in Uganda Ethiopia Kenya and Sudan were full with South Sudanese.
Makuei said if the country holds elections, South Sudanese in the diaspora will be able to vote for the President but not for other positions such as members of parliaments.
The IGAD Revitalization Forum of the parties is to discuss concrete measures to restore the permanent ceasefire, return to full implementation of the Peace Agreement and develop a revised and realistic timeline and implementation schedule towards democratic elections at the end of the transition period.