JUBA—A faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by Caretaker Minister of Peacebuilding Stephen Par Kuol is seeking guarantees on political freedoms and civic space ahead of South Sudan’s planned December elections.
A delegation led by the Juba-based SPLM-IO Secretary-General Agok Makur Kur met officials of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) to discuss election preparations and the need to create a political environment in which parties can compete freely.
According to a statement issued by the opposition movement on October 27, the discussions focused on electoral arrangements, political freedoms, and the need for a level playing field to support free and fair elections.
“This visit is part of an SPLM-IO initiative to open channels of communication and dialogue with various political forces in the country. The objective is to align perspectives and address challenges and concerns related to the upcoming elections,” the statement read.
The Par’s led opposition movement also proposed a “Pact and Code of Honour” for political parties to sign before the elections. The proposed document would set out commitments to electoral integrity and acceptance of the results.
Dr Akol Paul, secretary-general of the ruling SPLM, welcomed the initiative and expressed support for the proposals, pledging cooperation to help create what the statement described as a fair political environment.
The statement did not specify what concrete guarantees were discussed, whether the ruling party made formal commitments to protect political freedoms, or when the proposed pact would be signed.
The talks come as South Sudan prepares for general elections scheduled for December 22, 2026, amid concerns over political participation, electoral readiness, and the conditions under which parties will campaign.
The ruling SPLM has already started conducting party primaries to select candidates for the upcoming elections, as political parties prepare to compete for national and state-level positions.
However, preparations by the National Elections Commission (NEC), the body responsible for organising and supervising the polls, remain a key concern.
Although the commission has trained election officials and prepared voter-registration materials, voter registration has not begun as of October 27, and the commission has not publicly announced the registration dates.
The NEC is yet to publicly avail the electoral roadmap setting out the key activities and timelines leading to polling day.
Funding is another major challenge. The NEC estimates that it requires $250 million to successfully run the elections, but it has received only $27 million so far.
Despite these challenges, President Salva Kiir has continued to insist that the elections will take place as scheduled in December.
The government, which is the main funder of the electoral commission, has not publicly provided a detailed account of how the remaining funding gap and other outstanding financial challenges will be addressed in time for the vote.
