South Sudan’s government is planning to extend the presidential term of current President, Salva Kiir.
The government has proposed a bill to that effect in order to have President Kiir’s term extend for three more years.
The opposition in South Sudan says the move violates the spirit of ongoing peace process.
The bill presented to parliament on Monday is to be voted into law this month.
Salva Kiir to stay on
The bill intends amending the constitution to extend Kiir’s tenure to 2021.
Mr Kiir’s mandate has already seen an extension by three years in 2015. He then argued that holding elections was impossible due to the civil war.
Unending civil war
Fresh fighting broke out between government troops in South Sudan and rebels last month.
Government troops and rebels launched attacks on each other despite their leaders agreeing to a peace deal.
Last month South Sudan’s political rival leaders signed a deal towards ending the current civil war in the country.
President Salva Kiir and rebel leader, Riek Machar signed the peace agreement in Sudan’s capital Khartoum.
The agreement involves a ceasefire to start in 72 hours (Sunday, July 1, 2018) although some aspects of the deal were rejected by the rebels.
Thousands of people have died in the 2013 civil war after troops loyal to the rebel Machar clashed with government troops.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011 from north Sudan but fighting broke out two years later.
Source: Africafeeds.com
