South Sudan Delays Elections for Two Years, Citing Key Preparations

• Sep 14, 2024

South Sudan has once again postponed its national elections, originally scheduled for December, by two years, pushing the new date to December 22, 2026. This delay is due to the need for several critical processes to be completed, including a national census, drafting a permanent constitution, and registering political parties. The postponement marks the second time the elections have been delayed, following an earlier extension of the transitional period that began in February 2020.

Presidential Adviser on National Security, Tut Gatluak, announced the extension on Friday, explaining that the additional time will allow the government to ensure these important tasks are finished before the elections take place. The decision to postpone the elections follows recommendations from electoral bodies and the security sector, according to Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro.

South Sudan has been facing multiple challenges, with the peace agreement signed in 2018 between President Salva Kiir and his former rival, now deputy, Riek Machar, bringing an end to a devastating five-year civil war. That conflict claimed over 400,000 lives. However, the country is still grappling with significant political and economic instability.

One major concern is the electoral timeline itself. In August, the chairperson of the National Election Commission, Professor Abednego Akok, revealed that South Sudan was far behind schedule for voter registration, which was supposed to begin in June. This delay is largely due to a lack of funding. South Sudan, which heavily relies on oil exports, has been hit hard by economic difficulties, including a damaged oil pipeline in Sudan that has severely affected revenue. As a result, many civil servants have gone without pay for nearly a year.

In addition to economic struggles, the peace process has stalled. The Tumaini peace talks, which were being held in Kenya and aimed at including non-signatory groups to maintain peace, have not made progress. Furthermore, in August, a new security law allowing for warrantless detentions was passed, raising concerns among human rights organizations. Critics argue that such a law could create fear and limit political freedoms in the runup to the elections.

Andrea Mach Mabior, an independent political analyst, cautioned that rushing to hold elections without addressing key issues could lead to a waste of resources and potential chaos. On the other hand, Edmund Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment Progress Organization, warned that delaying the elections too long might trigger violence across the country.

South Sudan remains in a fragile state, with ongoing recovery efforts from civil war and severe impacts from climate change. As of 2024, the United Nations estimates that nearly 9 million people, or 73% of the population, will require humanitarian assistance.