South Sudan electoral body sets conditions for elections
August 23, 2024 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s electoral commission has outlined conditions for holding elections, dampening expectations after an earlier indication that polls could take place in December.
Abednego Akok Kacuol, the chairperson of the National Elections Commission, presented two key conditions on Friday, backtracking from an earlier announcement that suggested elections could be held on December 22, 2024.
Kacuol stated that elections would only be possible if the Elections Act is amended by parliament or if sufficient resources are made available to carry out the necessary activities within the established timeline.
“It is possible to conduct elections under two conditions: first, the amendment of the Elections Act, as certain clauses related to voter registration, campaigning, and polling days need to be revised. The government must submit these amendments to parliament for debate and enactment into law. If this can be done in the short time remaining, we can proceed with elections. The second condition is the availability of resources. If resources are secured, we can conduct the elections within this brief period,” Kacuol stated.
This announcement follows directives from a meeting of the presidency, which tasked the National Election Commission, the National Constitution Review Commission, and the Political Parties Council with providing a realistic timetable for the general election.
President Salva Kiir has called on all parties involved in the 2018 Peace Agreement to decide on the way forward for the upcoming elections. The technical institutions have responded by setting conditions before an inter-party committee tasked with reviewing the implementation of the 2018 peace deal and its roadmap. However, it remains unclear when the inter-party committee will present its report to the presidency.
South Sudan’s presidential adviser on national security chaired the meeting of the review committee. The committee’s spokesperson informed the media on Thursday that all views expressed by the technical institutions had been considered and that a report would be submitted to the president for a decision.
The spokesperson urged the people of South Sudan and the international community to remain patient as the review is finalized. South Sudan has not held elections since its secession from Sudan in 2011.
Elections scheduled for 2015 were postponed due to the 2013 conflict, which destabilized the country, leading to widespread displacement and insecurity. The 2018 peace agreement, which led to the formation of the government of national unity, provided a roadmap for general elections.
However, the parties agreed in 2022 to extend the transitional government’s mandate by 24 months, pushing the election deadline to February 2025, due to delays in meeting key provisions of the agreement.
(ST)