Activist Urges Caretaker Government to Fast-Track Election Preparations Amid Political Divisions

By Simon Deng

The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, has urged South Sudan’s caretaker government and political leaders to urgently resolve outstanding challenges and build consensus to ensure that democratic and peaceful elections are held as scheduled in December 2026.

In a statement, Yakani warned that the lack of political consensus among leaders could undermine preparations for the polls. He said elections remain a popular demand among citizens seeking to renew their social contract with the government.

“We would like to amplify our voice as civil society to the political leaders to address challenges and create agreed-upon conditions for the country to hold democratic and peaceful elections,” Yakani stated.

He added: “It seems there is a lack of political consensus among the political leaders on paving the pathway for the country to go for elections, and the election is a popular demand of the citizens to renew their social contract with the government.”

In September 2024, the parties to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) agreed to extend the transitional period by two years, moving its end date from December 22, 2024, to December 22, 2026.

On June 22, 2026, the National Elections Commission announced December 22, 2026, as the date for the general elections, marking a key step in preparations for the country’s long-awaited polls.

Yakani said elections provide a peaceful and non-violent mechanism for transferring political power. He argued that the electoral process offers an opportunity for South Sudan to move away from violence and toward peace, stressing the importance of inclusive dialogue to build consensus among political actors and the wider population.

“The inter-party political dialogue on elections is a platform created for generating consensus. It is essential that the country must reach a consensus on agreed-upon conditions for holding elections as scheduled for December 2026,” Yakani said.

He stressed that political parties and the caretaker government bear the primary responsibility for creating conditions that would ensure the safety and protection of citizens and enable the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

“It is the primary responsibility of the political parties and the caretaker government to create good enough conditions for safety, protection, and holding free, fair, and credible elections in the country,” Yakani said.