UN denounces Salva Kiir’s ‘constitutional coup’ in South Sudan
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Radio Tamazuj
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan says Salva Kiir’s legislative reforms are dismantling the power-sharing system provided for by the 2018 peace agreement and constitute a “constitutional coup”. Its chair, Yasmin Sooka, called on the international community on Tuesday to act to prevent a resumption of the conflict before elections scheduled for December.
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan denounced a “constitutional coup” by President Salva Kiir on Tuesday, saying that legislative reforms had unilaterally dismantled the power-sharing system established by the 2018 peace agreement. The commission called on member states and regional and international partners to act to prevent a resumption of the conflict, regardless of whether the elections scheduled for 22 December are held, according to Radio Tamazuj.
The commission’s chair, Yasmin Sooka, accused Salva Kiir of concentrating all power under the cover of the electoral process. She said the president had dissolved the transitional government, the National Parliament and state assemblies on 22 September, removed the first vice-president and the other vice-presidents, and then appointed an interim administration accountable only to him. First Vice-President Riek Machar remains detained and on trial, while his party and other opposition groups have been excluded from the electoral process.
The commission considers that the 2018 revitalised agreement still requires inclusive governance, free political competition, power-sharing and institutional oversight. Yasmin Sooka warned that elections could not justify abandoning these safeguards and called for violations to lead to measurable diplomatic consequences.
The denunciation came after the South Sudan electoral commission handed the voter register to Salva Kiir on 2 October, and the president then called for regional support for the December elections on 10 October.
