In a briefing to President Salva Kiir on Friday, Prof. Abednego Akok Kachuol, the Chairperson of NEC, confirmed that general elections will be conducted on 26 December 2026, as per earlier agreements by political parties.
Speaking to the media after the meeting with Kiir, Akok said the President has instructed the Ministry of Finance and Planning to release funds for the electoral process. He also stated that security agencies have been directed to support the commission in ensuring a secure and transparent democratic exercise.
The Chairperson added that a meeting with the primary stakeholders will be held soon to review the latest initiatives aimed at expediting the electoral process. He urged the people of South Sudan to prepare for the upcoming elections, which will mark the conclusion of the transitional period.
The Electoral Commission currently has fully equipped offices in six states, while construction is ongoing in the remaining states.
South Sudan has postponed its elections five times since gaining independence in 2011. The country’s first elections were initially scheduled for 2015 but have been delayed to 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024, and most recently to 2026.
But the prospect of the country going to the polls despite a fixed timeline remains bleak. Critical prerequisites for credible elections remain unaddressed. These include the lack of a permanent constitution, an outdated voter registry (no census since 2008), and insufficient funding for key electoral bodies like the National Elections Commission, National Constitutional Review Commission, and Political Parties Council, which were only reconstituted in November 2023.
Additionally, the unification and deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces (83,000 personnel) for election security have not been completed, posing significant risks to voter safety.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, and the United Nations have repeatedly expressed concerns that South Sudan is not on a path to hold credible elections, citing the government’s failure to create an enabling environment. The UN has emphasised that without urgent reforms, elections could lead to violence with “disastrous consequences”.
