South Sudan: Opposition challenges Salva Kiir’s chosen path ahead of first elections
With less than three months until the general elections scheduled for December 22, 2026, South Sudan is entering a particularly tense political phase. President Salva Kiir has dissolved the transitional government and initiated an inter-party dialogue, but several opposition groups are already rejecting the manner in which the electoral process is being conducted.
SUMMARY
The upcoming vote will be the first held in the country since its independence in 2011. However, several conditions outlined in the 2018 peace agreement have not been met: voter registration has only just begun, various armed forces have not been fully unified, and no permanent constitution has yet been adopted.
Changes to the electoral law now allow for the vote to be organized without a permanent constitution or a national census. They also keep Salva Kiir at the helm of the state during the electoral period following the dissolution of the government and the departure of the vice presidents from the peace agreement.
Nevertheless, the president has warned that the dialogue opened in Juba should not become a means to delay the timeline. “This is not a place to slow us down,” Salva Kiir stated while defending the continuation of the electoral process.
“Ballots, not bullets”
The National Election Commission is attempting to reassure the public regarding preparations. Its chairman, Gabriel Bol Deng Majok, has urged political parties to convert their ideas “into ballots and not bullets”.
However, analysts highlight the ongoing risks. Certain areas of the country remain unstable, which could complicate the organization of a nationwide vote.
Opposition leader Riek Machar remains detained on charges of treason, and the movements associated with him are contesting the framework proposed by the government.
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