Dr Lam Akol, the leader of National Democratic Movement and Michael Makuei, government's spokesperson and minister of Information - credit | courtesy | File Photo

Parties to the revitalized peace agreement have distanced themselves from an earlier statement made by the press secretary in the Office of the President on the plan to extend the transitional period.

Ateny Wek Ateny had said parties to the revitalized peace agreement have agreed to extend the Transitional Period up to 2023 to allow full implementation of critical tasks.

According to the implementation matrix of the peace deal, many provisions should have been implemented by now.

These include the reconstitution of the transitional national legislature, the reunification of forces, the full establishment of state governments and the constitutional making process, and the economic sector reforms.

But most of the ambitious reforms have not been initiated or completed.

Ateny Wek Ateny, the Press Secretary in the Office of the President told Eye Radio that the parties cannot accomplish the critical tasks within the 36 months.

However, the government spokesperson – Michael Makuei says the peace parties did not agree on the said extension.

For his part, the chairperson of the National Democratic Movement, a signatory to the revitalized peace agreement also says he is not aware of the extension of the transitional period.

Dr. Lam Akol said elections should be held in December 2022, as enshrined in the new peace deal.

Meanwhile, Puok Bok Bulang the director for information and public relations at the SPLM-IO says the main opposition group was also not aware.

In May last year, the pre-transitional period was extended by six months, after the main opposition leader – Dr. Riek Machar – requested for more time to implement key parts of the security arrangements.

At the end of the six months, they again extended the pre-transitional period by 100 days.

It ended in February 2020 when President Salva Kiir appointed opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar and other vice presidents—beginning the three-year Transitional Period.

But nearly one year after the presidency and the cabinet were formed, the Transition Government of National Unity is yet to be fully established.

The unified army is not yet deployed as their graduation has been postponed several times.

State and local government structures are yet to be established. One of the ten-state governors is still not appointed.

The peace accord obligates the unity government to hold elections sixty days before the end of the Transitional Period to establish a democratically elected government.

Once implemented, the Agreement will help to restore permanent and sustainable peace, security, and stability in the country.