South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dissolved the country’s transitional unity government and appointed a caretaker administration as the country prepares for its first-ever national elections.
asserted
country → dissolve → elections
The decree on Tuesday ended a power-sharing arrangement set up under a 2018 peace deal that halted years of civil war, and raised concerns that Kiir could now wield unchecked power.
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uncertain
list → end → Sudan
latest peace deal last?
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deal → last → ?
The decree, read out by the national broadcaster, said all vice-presidents, ministers and local administrators have been removed and that the national and state assemblies have been dissolved.
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assemblies → read → broadcaster
The judiciary and security institutions remain in place, while Kiir will stay in office “during the election period until the next elected president assumes office”, it said.
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it → remain → office
The decree came a day after the parliament approved changes to the National Elections Act that allowed Kiir to stay in power during the election period, while removing all vice presidents, who were appointed under the 2018 peace deal.
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who → come → deal
The changes mean that South Sudan can move towards elections scheduled for December 22, without first completing a permanent constitution or census – two processes that were previously tied to the transition.
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that → mean → transition
The main opposition alliance has rejected the changes.
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alliance → reject → changes
Elections were initially expected in 2022 but have been postponed twice.
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Elections → expect → 2022
Tasks still outstanding under the 2018 peace deal include drafting a permanent constitution, registering voters and unifying the armed forces loyal to rival parties.
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Tasks → include → parties
That agreement followed five years of civil war that killed about 400,000 people and displaced millions, according to the United Nations.
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that → follow → Nations
Amnesty International, a prominent rights group, called Kiir’s decree a “decisive step” towards the country’s first-ever elections.
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International → call → elections
But Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa, urged the authorities to “ensure that a conducive environment exists for people to vote and stand in elections”.
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people → urge → elections
Analysts meanwhile warned that the changes offered Kiir unfettered control.
“Kiir will be the only person in power, without vice-presidents, without the executive, without the parliament,” Michael Wani, a lawyer and former member of the constitution drafting committee, told the AFP news agency.
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Wani → warn → agency
Independent analyst Machot Amuom told AFP there was a lot of “ambiguity” in the legal changes.
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Amuom → tell → changes
“The new law gives the president full powers …
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law → give → powers
He can decide even not to go for elections for another year or another two years,” Amuom told AFP.
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Amuom → decide → AFP
Last week, Kiir also replaced the head of the elections commission without giving a reason.
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Kiir → replace → reason
South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) said the new chief, Gabriel Bol Deng Majok, had been given a “fresh mandate” to oversee preparations for the polls.
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chief → say → polls
The preparations come as Kiir’s longtime rival Riek Machar, who leads the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), remains under house arrest.
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who → come → arrest
He is on trial on charges including treason and murder, which he denies.
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he → include → which
The transition is also taking place under tight security.
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transition → take → security
AFP reported checkpoints and road closures around the government complex in the capital, Juba, while security personnel were ordered to remain on heightened alert for three days.
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personnel → report → days
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