Political analysts have offered differing views on President Salva Kiir’s recent tour of the Bahr el Ghazal region, with some describing it as an effort to shore up support ahead of elections scheduled for December 2026.
Kiir, who recently visited several areas in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region, told residents during one stop that the trip had initially been private but that he decided to address crowds who gathered to welcome him.
Boboya James Edimond, a political analyst and chief executive officer of the Institute of Policy Research, said the tour should be viewed in the context of the country’s upcoming elections.
“It is not just a routine regional visit. It fits into the broader pattern of political positioning and consolidation,” Edimond said.
He described Bahr el Ghazal as a key political stronghold and a core base of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), which has backed Kiir for years.
According to Edimond, the high-profile visits signal efforts to reinforce loyalty networks, mobilize a reliable electoral base and demonstrate that the president’s traditional support remains intact.
“With the 2026 elections now formally scheduled, these visits usually serve several purposes, including early campaign groundwork, testing public mood in key strongholds, demonstrating incumbent presence and control, and reinforcing the narrative of peace, stability and continuity,” he said.
Edimond also noted the absence of similar high-profile tours to the Greater Upper Nile and Equatoria regions.
“My observation over the last few years shows that Upper Nile and Greater Equatoria have historically been more politically contested spaces,” he said. “The pattern of visits can be interpreted less as neglect and more as prioritisation of secure political territory or a strategy of locking in support before expanding outreach.”
Civil society activist Ter Manyang Gatwech, however, said the president missed an opportunity to address pressing national concerns during the tour.
“As the country prepares for elections, President Kiir should use such opportunities to address citizens genuinely for them to regain trust and confidence in his leadership,” Manyang said.
He cited persistent insecurity in parts of Warrap State, including Tonj North, Tonj East, Gogrial East and Gogrial West counties, where cattle-related violence and communal clashes have continued to cause deaths and displacement.
“Those cycles of violence have caused unnecessary deaths, displacement and destruction of property, leaving communities frustrated and fearful,” he said.
Manyang also called for dialogue and reconciliation to address conflicts across the country.
“I strongly believe no citizen should die for a conflict that can be resolved through dialogue, mediation and reconciliation,” he said.
Kiir’s tour comes as South Sudan prepares for elections scheduled for December 2026, a vote widely seen as a key test of the country’s political transition after repeated delays and challenges in implementing the 2018 peace agreement.
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