South Sudan’s National Election Commission (NEC) officially announced on Monday that the country’s general elections will be held on December 22, 2026. This decision is regarded as a major and historic step toward implementing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
NEC Chairperson Abednego Akok Kacuol stated that the designated election date fully aligns with the National Elections Act and the extension of the transitional period under the revitalized peace agreement, which runs until December 2026.
Speaking during a press conference in the capital, Juba, Commission Chairperson Abednego Akok told journalists, “The election will be conducted on Dec. 22, 2026, as detailed in the National Election Commission Act and the revitalized peace agreement’s extension to that date.”
He added that the Act stipulates that whenever an election is to be held, the commission must determine and announce the date in accordance with the constitution. He noted that this determined election date will be made public through the official gazette, two newspapers with nationwide circulation, the commission’s website, and various mass media channels.
It is recalled that the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan had previously extended the transitional period by an additional two years.
Chairperson Akok mentioned that the commission’s members have been deliberating extensively on the election process based on the 2018 revitalized peace agreement and the National Elections Act of 2012, as amended in 2023. However, he did not hide the fact that many challenges still lie ahead for the commission.
“There are many challenges facing the commission, and we strongly request the government to speed up the amendment of existing legal gaps and provide all the basic needs within a short period to enable us to proceed with our duties and responsibilities over the next few months,” the chairperson urged.
Akok emphasized that the public must realize that exercising their sovereignty through voting in elections is the only way to gain political power. Therefore, he stressed that existing legal contradictions and gaps must be amended in a clear manner.
Following this official declaration, the National Election Commission announced that it will embark on a nationwide voter registration exercise. This voter registration process is expected to be completed within a period of no more than one month.
It was stated that after this announcement, the commission will transition into a realistic and practical electoral timeline, and the detailed schedule will be released to the public within the next few days, before the end of the current month. The chairperson indicated that South Sudan is not new to elections and possesses sufficient experience to execute the process, confirming that members of the election security body formed last year have undergone appropriate training and are already performing their duties.
It is recalled that South Sudan descended into a severe civil conflict in December 2013 following a disagreement between President Salva Kiir and his then-deputy, Riek Machar, which caused a split in the army. This newly established election date represents a historic milestone that carries high hopes for transitioning the country out of prolonged political crisis and toward a lasting democratic system.
