JUBA – South Sudan’s National Elections Commission (NEC) announced on Friday that the country’s highly anticipated elections will be held on December 22, 2024, according to a circular seen by Sudans Post.
“This declaration comes as a result of the meeting held this morning by the commission, and they unanimously agreed to announce the date of the elections as December 22nd, 2024,” the circular reviewed by Sudans Post reads in part.
The announcement comes amid increasing delays to the elections.
Senior members of a high-level government committee, comprising signatories to the revitalized peace agreement, previously told Sudans Post that they had agreed to extend the transitional period for at least 24 months, pushing the elections to December 2026.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference following the commission’s meeting, NEC Chair Abednego Akol said that even if the elections are delayed, they had to announce a date.
“This month, when it remains six months into elections, the elections date must be declared. That’s why we are declaring it today. By December 22nd to February 22nd, 2025, elections will be conducted here,” he said.
On June 19, 2024, Abednego established electoral committees for the country’s ten states and named individuals as heads of these state committees.
However, he did not form committees for the three administrative areas of Abyei, Greater Pibor, and Ruweng.
When asked about the fate of these three administrative areas, Abednego said that he would name chairpersons for the state committees after the commission’s meeting.
“After this function, we are going to appoint also some people in those three areas,” he said, referring to Abyei, Pibor, and Ruweng.
job well done