Activist welcomes dialogue, questions credibility without Machar’s SPLM-IO
A prominent civil society activist has welcomed the government’s decision to pursue dialogue as a means of resolving political differences, while warning that the credibility of the ongoing Elections Matters Dialogue could be undermined by the exclusion of the SPLM-IO faction led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of […]
Yakani condemns SSPDF, SPLA-IO interference in Bentiu POC
The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Mr. Edmund Yakani, has strongly condemned what he described as deliberate interference by elements linked to the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army–In Opposition (SPLA-IO) in the Protection of Civilians (POC) site in Bentiu, Unity State. He warned […]
R-ARCSS amendments are political maneuver, not election reform- Yakani
Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has strongly condemned the proposed amendments to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), describing them as a calculated political maneuver rather than a genuine effort to advance election preparedness. Speaking as a stakeholder signatory to […]
Election watch flags missed electoral deadline on constituency announcement
A civil society leader has raised alarm over what he described as the first major violation of South Sudan’s electoral timeline, warning that the failure to announce geographical constituencies by the legally mandated deadline threatens the credibility of the country’s planned 2026 elections. Speaking under the Election Watch initiative, the Chief Executive Officer of the […]
Yakani gives Kiir deadline to end stalemate or face government collapse
Civil society leader Edmund Yakani has issued a stark warning to President Salva Kiir, saying the government has until 22 December 2025 to resolve the country’s nine-month political stalemate or risk triggering a full collapse of the Revitalized Government of National Unity. Yakani, the Executive Director of CEPO, said the prolonged impasse combined with stalled […]
Civil society warns of Gov’t legitimacy crisis over constituency review delays
A civil society signatory to the 2018 peace deal has warned that failure to review electoral constituencies on time could spark a legitimacy crisis for the government ahead of the 2026 polls. In a statement delivered under CEPO’s Pre-Election Domestic Observation Initiative, Executive Director Edmond Yakani cautioned that the government and political parties who signed […]
Yakani urges Juba Mayor to end random taxes, restore cleanliness
The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmond Yakani, has called on Juba’s new city leadership to urgently address the widespread problem of random tax collections and improve the city’s deteriorating sanitation standards. In a public statement welcoming the newly appointed Juba City Mayor and deputy mayors, Yakani said residents are […]
China unveils global governance initiative to mark UN’s 80th anniversary
As the United Nations prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2025, China has launched a new proposal, the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), aimed at reshaping the international order to be more equitable, inclusive, and responsive to contemporary challenges. The initiative, unveiled in a detailed concept paper, comes amid growing turbulence in the global landscape […]
Don’t exclude Anuak community in gov’t dockets and participation–Yakani
A civil society activist is calling on political leaders in Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) to ensure the Anuak community is represented and actively participate in government affairs. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progressive Organization (CEPO), stated that the Anuak are being systematically isolated from public participation and […]
CEPO threatens gov’t with lawsuit over 35% women’s quota violation
A prominent civil society organization is threatening to sue the transitional government over failure to meet the 35% quota for women in leadership positions, as mandated by the 2018 peace agreement. The Community Empowerment Progress Organization (CEPO) is giving the government a three-month ultimatum to rectify what it describes as “absolute violation” of women’s rights […]
