South Sudan President Salva Kiir has officially confirmed that he will seek another term in office during the country’s historic national election, scheduled for December 22, 2026. Speaking in a recent interview , Kiir described the long-awaited democratic vote as a critical and definitive opportunity to finally end years of prolonged transitional rule and usher in a fully elected government for the world’s youngest nation.
Urging citizens across the country to actively register as voters, Kiir emphasized his commitment to the democratic process. “I will be on the ballot,” he stated, confirming that he will contest the presidency on the ticket of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). He added that South Sudan is fully prepared to move beyond the provisional governance structures established under the 2018 peace agreement, noting that the populace is eager to choose their leaders directly.
In addition to confirming his presidential bid, President Kiir signaled major plans to restructure and significantly reduce the size of the national government following the elections. He candidly admitted that the current power-sharing arrangement has become exceptionally costly and has heavily drained financial resources away from vital national development projects.
Pointing to the bloated institutional framework, Kiir questioned the efficiency of maintaining five vice presidents and a 650-member parliament. While he defended the expanded government structure as a necessary political compromise to preserve fragile peace after years of devastating civil conflict, he stressed that post-election South Sudan requires leaner, more agile institutions strictly focused on effective service delivery and infrastructure growth.
Kiir’s landmark announcement follows the recent signing of crucial amendments to the Revitalised Peace Agreement. These legislative changes removed previous legal bottlenecks that had tightly linked the staging of elections to the complex completion of both a permanent constitution and a national census. By cutting through these bureaucratic hurdles, the amendments have effectively cleared the path for the December polls to proceed.
The upcoming election represents an unprecedented milestone for South Sudan, which gained its independence from Sudan 15 years ago in 2011. Since civil war erupted in 2013 due to a bitter political dispute between Kiir and his then-deputy Riek Machar, the nation has repeatedly postponed national elections, extending transitional terms through successive peace pacts.
Despite the optimism surrounding the electoral timeline, major hurdles remain on the road to December. The National Elections Commission has publicly underscored that extensive groundwork—including nationwide voter registration, civic education programs, critical legal reforms, and securing adequate funding—must be fully executed before polling day.
Furthermore, political tensions have escalated significantly following the continued detention of Riek Machar on treason-related charges. This high-profile detention has cast serious doubt over whether major opposition factions will fully participate or boycott the ballot. Opposition leaders have consistently accused the government of dragging its feet on key provisions of the 2018 peace accord, arguing that credible and fair elections require deeper political reforms, vastly improved security on the ground, and an entirely inclusive political playing field.
Despite these vocal concerns, President Kiir maintains that holding the vote as scheduled is non-negotiable for the nation’s progress. He reiterated that the December ballot offers South Sudan its best and perhaps only chance to permanently replace transitional governance with a legitimate government chosen directly by the ballot box. If successfully executed, the election will write a historic new chapter for South Sudan as it steps into a new era of self-governance.
