JUBA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's main opposition group on Wednesday rejected plans to extend President Salva Kiir's tenure by another three years.
Lam Paul Gabriel, Military spokesman of the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), told Xinhua in Juba that the proposal to extend presidential and parliamentary term to July 2021 is illegal and it undermines the ongoing peace talks.
"The SPLM/A IO considers any extension of term limit while peace talk is in progress as illegal and anti-peace campaign from the regime. It's a clear sign the regime is against peace and wants to derail the ongoing peace process," Gabriel said.
South Sudanese lawmakers on Monday began debating a proposal to amend the country's constitution to extend the president's tenure, his two deputies, and parliament and state governors to July 2021.
South Sudan was supposed to hold elections in July 2015 but the plan was interrupted after the world's newest nation descended into civil war in late 2013.
The country's parliament in March 2015 amended the South Sudan Transitional Constitution and extended President Kiir's government until July.
A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under UN pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April 2016 and provided that elections be held within 30 months.
But the pact was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016, with local and international observers including the United Nations and the African Union (AU) warning that the current environment in the East African country does not permit conduct of credible elections.
Political commentator James Okuk, said extension of Kiir's government would put the opposition under immense pressure to reach a deal because last week's Khartoum pact has already extended the term of office of Kiir for another 40 months until 2022.
"The extension motion for tenure of President Kiir and TNLA (Transitional National Legislative Assembly) is used as a political pressure by government for the opposition to reach a compromise quickly for concluding the HLRF (High Level Revitalization Forum)," Okuk said.
