Authorities in Lakes State have launched a civic and voter education campaign ahead of South Sudan’s planned general elections in December, urging residents to register and vote freely.
The campaign was launched in Rumbek on Saturday by the state high electoral committee in collaboration with the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the state government. It brought together government officials, political parties, civil society groups, women and youth representatives and members of the public.
The campaign is being held under the theme “Empowering Citizens for Democratic Participation and Peaceful Coexistence for Civic Duty”.
Kot Kuocnin Kuer, chairperson of the Lakes State high electoral committee, urged residents to vote for candidates based on their leadership abilities rather than family ties.
“If you know that your uncle cannot be the right leader to elect during the election, then vote for the right person instead of your relative,” Kuer said.
He said voters should be able to make their choices freely and without fear, and urged candidates and voters to follow electoral laws and uphold fairness, accountability, openness and credibility.
James Marier Luel, the SPLM assistant secretary for political affairs, mobilisation and membership in Lakes State, said: “Democracy is not about casting a vote but it is about understanding your powers as voters,” he said.
Luel urged eligible voters, particularly young people, to register without intimidation and participate peacefully in the electoral process.
“Your vote decides the future of Lakes State and South Sudan,” he said.
Alek Malaak, secretary-general of the IO Party in Lakes State, said her party was prepared to participate in the elections but questioned the timing of voter registration.
“I worked in the election of 2010 and that was Sudan general elections. But this election is for South Sudanese alone,” she said.
Malaak said the IO Party had agreed to participate because South Sudanese were suffering and needed a political process to address their grievances.
She urged voters to choose leaders based on their ability to deliver public services rather than family or political affiliation.
“You vote for the right person who will deliver services instead of your brother or sister who cannot deliver any services,” she said.
Lakes State Deputy Governor Isaac Luka Munga said the launch was an important step towards ensuring citizens understood their rights and responsibilities before election day.
“Democracy does not begin on polling day. It begins with informed citizens who understand their constitutional rights, respect the rule of law and participate peacefully to shape the future of the nation,” Munga said.
He called on political parties, youth groups, the media and security forces to reject violence, tribalism and hate speech during the electoral process.
“Let the election be a peaceful exercise and not a battlefield, since it is a competition of ideas guarded by respect for the law and the rights of everyone in the country,” he said.
Daniel Laat Kon, coordinator of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) in Lakes State, called for voter education and registration to reach people in remote areas and displacement sites.
“In a time of conflict, we are told that decisions are made for us by those with guns or money. But a vote is the one moment when a general and a farmer stand with equal weight — one person, one vote,” Laat said.
He urged young people, women and older citizens to participate in the electoral process and called for safeguards against voter intimidation and manipulation.
South Sudan has scheduled general elections for Dec. 22, 2026, but the process faces political and logistical challenges, including security concerns and questions over whether conditions are in place for credible polls.
and then