Political Parties and Re-envisioning of Competitive Politics in South Sudan
Date: 21 November 2015
Location: 10:30a.m. - 1:30p.m; Gudele Hall; Juba Grand Hotel
Organizer: The Sudd Institute & UNDP
The people of South Sudan need no elaborate explanation about the important role political parties play in public life. This current costly war was after all, caused by an internal power struggle in the SPLM. Evidently, the political consensus that was built within and around the SPLM in as far as the war of liberation was concerned seems to be over, and it is not an overstatement to suggest that there is an urgent need to build one anew if the dream of achieving peace and stability is to be attained. The recently signed peace agreement presents a unique opportunity to reset the political equation in the country.
To discuss the role political parties can play both to help ushering in peace and stability as well as democracy in South Sudan, the Sudd Institute in conjunction with UNDP is sponsoring a public lecture. The lecture assesses a number of key ingredients needed to re-establishing the vision of multi-party democracy through competitive politics as a mechanism for building a peaceful and prosperous society. Furthermore, it explores the possibility of entrenching the interparty dialogue among different parties as a first step in building state legitimacy. Finally, it argues that the development of a new constitution as calls for in the peace accord provides a real opportunity to consolidating such a political consensus, particularly if there is a wider and popular consultation.
Speaker
Abraham A. Awolich, Senior Policy Analyst, The Sudd Institute
Discussants
Hon. Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, SSDF Chairperson and South Sudan’s Cabinet Affairs Minister
Dr. Lam Akol, Chairperson, SPLM-DC and National Alliance
Mr. Martin Majut Yak, Member of the National Liberation Council, SPLM
Moderator
Mr. John Ashworth, Advisor to the South Sudan and Sudan churches