A South Sudanese policy analyst on Tuesday cautioned that the success of the country’s planned general elections in December 2026 will depend on addressing critical constitutional, security, political, and financial challenges, warning that administrative preparations alone cannot guarantee credible polls.
Boboya James Edimond, a policy and political analyst and chief executive officer of the Institute of Social Policy Research, made the comments after an announcement by the National Elections Commission on Monday that it is commencing civic education ahead of the December polls.
According to Boboya, civic education campaigns and the acquisition of a new building to house the commission’s headquarters in Juba may contribute to electoral preparedness, but are not the key determinants of a peaceful, credible, and legitimate election.
“The success of the declared 22 December 2026 general elections in South Sudan cannot be secured through symbolic or administrative measures such as civic education campaigns or the procurement of headquarters for the National Electoral Commission in Juba,” he said.
Boboya said the country must first establish a fully agreed constitutional and legal framework to govern the electoral process, including clear mandates, timelines, dispute resolution mechanisms, and safeguards for institutional independence.
“Without this, electoral administration lacks legitimacy and enforceability,” he stated.
He also stressed the need for comprehensive security arrangements, including the unification and professionalization of armed forces under a single national command structure.
“Without a stable security environment, neither voter participation nor electoral integrity can be guaranteed,” he stated.
The analyst further argued that there must be civic and political space to allow citizens and political actors to exercise their rights freely.
“Freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and equal media access are essential,” he stressed. “Elections held in a constrained environment risk undermining public trust and political inclusion.”
Boboya also highlighted the importance of timely and transparent financing for the electoral process, warning that reliance on fragmented or ad hoc funding could affect planning and operational readiness.
“Dependence on ad-hoc or externally fragmented funding undermines planning, credibility, and operational readiness of electoral institutions,” he stated.
He emphasized the need for political consensus among stakeholders, arguing that elections are inherently political processes that require broad agreement on the rules of engagement.
“A broad-based consensus among political parties and stakeholders is indispensable,” he stressed. “Elections are not merely technical exercises; they are political processes that require minimum agreements.”
The analyst added that while support from international partners remains important, it should reinforce rather than replace national ownership of the electoral process. He warned that failure to address the underlying constitutional, security, political, and financial requirements could undermine the credibility of the polls.
“Credible elections in South Sudan will not depend on isolated administrative actions, but on the cumulative fulfilment of constitutional, security, political, financial, and consensus-building requirements,” Boboya concluded.
South Sudan is expected to hold its first post-independence elections on 22 December 2026 after several delays linked to various armed conflicts and delays in the implementation of the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.
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