By King News
King News 16th Sept 2024 – Eyes now are fixed on the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) and the national parliament to scrutinize, give final blessing, and legalize extension.
By law, the government of national unity could be dissolved by September 22 if parties R-JMEC and parliament do not race against time – and as the clock ticks – it is only seven days.
However, in its extraordinary meeting on Saturday, the Council of Ministries nodded at extending the transition period for another 24 months and rescheduled the elections to 2026.
This came after the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Martin Elia Lomuro, presented a memo before the cabinet for endorsement of the extension of the transition period and postponement of elections.
Dr. Jacob Maiju Korok, the Deputy Minister of Information and a government spokesperson, said they did not want to rush into an election without implementing the critical tasks.
“There were some articles in the Revitalized Peace Agreement that were not implemented and we do not want to rush into an election without implementing all the articles,” he told journalists on Saturday.
“It will be taken to R-JMEC, maybe on Tuesday, and it will be discussed and then passed when it is passed, it would be forwarded for endorsement and blessing by the parliament,”
To him, the Presidency and political parties agreed on the postponement of the election set for December 22 to December 22, 2026, adding that the remaining five months will be used for resource mobilization.
“So, the remaining five months of the extended transitional period of the R-ARCSS and Roadmap, which ends on February 22, 2025, for the mobilization of funds,” he added.
He added that, the signatories to the agreement believe it is extremely important to maintain peace, security and relative political stability ushered by the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
Mr. Korok explained that the parties recommit to activities that will improve trust gained by the parties during the intervening period, aim at achieving lasting peace, security, and political stability,
“By ensuring that elections are conducted in a secure environment, and will establish electoral systems that will deliver free, fair, credible and democratic election to avoid a return to war,” he continued.
On Friday, the presidency and the parties to the agreement through a high-level committee agreed to postpone the election and extend the roadmap for another 24 months to enable the implementation of pending provisions.