Activist Urges Political Parties to Resolve Key Election Disputes Ahead of Polls

By Simon Deng

The Executive Director of Support Peace Initiative Development Organization, Wodcan Saviour Lazarus, has urged parties to the peace agreement to urgently resolve outstanding issues surrounding the country’s elections, including the population census, permanent constitution-making process and security arrangements.

Speaking on Monday, Lazarus stated that these unresolved issues could pose significant challenges to the conduct of elections. He called on the parties to use dialogue to reach a consensus within the framework of the revitalized peace agreement.

Lazarus emphasized that “the issue of population census is non-negotiable. Elections cannot be held without clear data, and the issue of the permanent constitution is something within the mandate of the revitalized peace agreement.”

He added that dialogue must ensure “the inclusivity of all political players” and other stakeholders, including hold-out groups.

The dialogue, originally scheduled for September 17,2026, was delayed by a week and is now set to convene on September 24, 2026. It will focus on democratic governance, promoting a culture of cooperation, and ensuring political actors work collaboratively on challenges related to the peace deal.

Lazarus stressed that the dialogue resolutions must include clear implementation conditions, calling for strict adherence to the implementation matrix without divergence.

He also appealed to the international community to ensure the permanent constitution is endorsed ahead of the scheduled elections to pave the way for a credible, free, and fair democratic process.

Lazarus urged stakeholders, particularly key political players and signatories to the 2018 peace agreement, to ensure the dialogue is systematic, accountable, and time-bound.

“Our government needs to demonstrate political will and commitment to prioritize funding,” he said, adding that “politicians need to take a lead in championing community peace dialogue rather than triggering violence.”

He concluded, “The inter-party dialogue needs to address the current challenges surrounding the environment of elections. If we allow elections to happen without having a permanent constitution, believe me, we are not going to have the permanent constitution.”