CEPO, HWPL Call for Peaceful Elections in South Sudan

By Simon Deng

The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), in collaboration with Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), has called on South Sudanese to embrace peace and reject violence ahead of the planned 2026 general elections.

Speaking during the closing of the peace conference in Juba on Thursday, Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), urged religious and traditional leaders to promote peace and stability ahead of the scheduled 2026 general elections.

“We must all work for peaceful South Sudan, we want a country without violence and when we disagree, we use dialogue, not the barrel of the gun, we need to take our primary responsibility before we blame any external actors,” said Yakani.

The one-day peace conference, dubbed “One South Sudan Peace Conference,” was organized by CEPO in collaboration with Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), with the aim of promoting peace, unity and stability across the country.

Yakani said South Sudan is preparing to conclude the transitional period through the planned general elections, stressing the need for a conducive environment to ensure free, fair and credible polls.

“As we are expecting elections, it is good that when elections are coming, we raise the level of knowledge and the level of campaign around peaceful elections, to conduct elections that are non-violent,” said Yakani.

 “If we are ending the political transitional process, we must end it in a peaceful way. We know that there are political disagreements, but we must build a one South Sudan that is peaceful,” he said.

Yakani urged all citizens, including traditional leaders, to promote dialogue and peaceful coexistence, noting that violence has caused widespread suffering while peace benefits all South Sudanese.

“It is South Sudanese to make peace and stability to prevail in South Sudan, we are all working together with Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) to ensure that we bring peace and stability.”

Dr. Justin Badi Arama, Primate and Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS), said the Christian community is advocating for reconciliation, peace and stability to prevail across the country.

“Peace is most valued thing that the church inherited from God and that must be pass on from generation to generation, we need to have forgiving heart, without relationship with God, you cannot have true peace,” said Badi.

“We need to share resources equally, we also need to treat ourselves equally, we need respect and seek reconciliation rather than revenge, we must become peace makers in families, schools, institutions and in communities,” he said.

The peace conference brought together representatives from diverse ethnic groups, traditional and religious leaders, former lawmakers, as well as youth- and women-led organizations.