Yakani urges AU, IGAD, Int’l Community to intervene over elections act dispute
Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, says the elections should include all political actors.
JUBA — Civil society leader Edmund Yakani issued an appeal to regional and international leaders, warning that friction over the amended National Election Act threatens to return South Sudan to war unless global bodies intervene.
Speaking in Juba, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) called on the African Union, IGAD, and the United Nations to send a field mission to prevent political disputes from turning into violence.
“The recent political development in South Sudan associated with the amendment of the National Election Act have raised the bar of friction, disagreement, discontented position and the fear of the country returning back to violence very high,” Yakani stated. “There’s a fear that the situation of the country returning back to war is in making.”
Directing his appeal to the IGAD Special Envoy, AU Envoy President Jakaya Kikwete, AU Commissioner Bankole Adeoye, and UN leadership, Yakani urged diplomats to act before political disagreements trigger conflict.
“Statements will never help,” Yakani stated. “We need a solidarity mission to South Sudan now before it gets late, now before we start losing lives that tomorrow you come and regret by issuing statements. Have a quick field visit to South Sudan and fixed the differences among the divided political positions.”
Addressing national leaders, including President Salva Kiir and opposition figures, Yakani warned against using military force or political harassment to settle disputes ahead of the December 2026 polls.
“Any attempt from any one of you for the use of force as an instrument of asserting political decision without consensus is a potential trigger of returning the country to war,” Yakani stated. “We can’t use the barrel of the gun to control or to nurture democracy or to champion good governance.”
Yakani urged political actors to embrace dialogue without preconditions, establish equal conditions for all parties, and ensure the safety of civilians during the transition.