JUBA
The South Sudanese government reaffirmed on Monday its determination to go ahead with next year's planned presidential elections as scheduled.
"Elections are scheduled to take place next year in April and the government of South Sudan is committed to make sure that the elections take place," presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told reporters in Juba.
"The elections were budgeted for in the 2014/15 budget and therefore they will be carried out without doubt," he added.
South Sudan has been shaken by violence since last December, when President Salva Kiir accused sacked vice president Riek Machar of attempting to overthrow his regime.
The conflict has already claimed more than 10,000 lives, with the U.N. estimating that some 3.7 million people in South Sudan are now "severely food insecure" while around one million have been displaced by the violence.
Ateny slammed Machar's rebels for taking up arms against an elected president and urged them to sign a peace deal and prepare for elections.
"If anyone is interested in leadership, there is no means other than the democratic process and, therefore, all should abide by it," the spokesman asserted.
By Okech Francis
englishnews@aa.com.tr
