South Sudan’s National Elections Commission (NEC) on Thursday held a high-level consultative meeting with registered political parties and other stakeholders in Juba to discuss preparations for the December 22 general elections, but participants questioned whether the polls could be held on schedule amid uncertainty over outstanding electoral activities.
The meeting, convened by NEC Chairperson Gabriel Bol Deng, was intended to brief political parties on the electoral roadmap, key milestones and preparations for the country’s general elections.
However, party representatives and observers who attended the meeting told Radio Tamazuj that the commission did not provide specific dates for completing outstanding electoral activities or explain how it intended to meet the December deadline.
Participants said NEC promised to publish an updated electoral timeline but did not indicate when it would be released. Some expressed doubts about the feasibility of holding the vote on December 22, suggesting late January or February 2027 as possible alternative dates.
“All the possibilities for holding elections on December 22 may turn into impossibilities,” one observer who attended the meeting told Radio Tamazuj.
NEC reportedly told participants that it was 80% ready for the elections and had secured funding for preparations, including voter registration.
But when political parties sought details of the remaining activities and deadlines for completing them, the commission did not provide definitive answers, one participant said.
Another party representative said the meeting had failed to address concerns about NEC’s administrative and logistical capacity to organise the elections and its compliance with legal requirements.
“They have failed to answer the questions and concerns that have been raised by the political parties concerning the administrative and logistical readiness of the NEC,” the representative said.
“I am now preparing our legal position to share it with the NEC leadership and determine the way forward for the sake of peace and stability,” the representative added.
Funding for political parties and the security of their leaders were also raised during the discussions.
Although NEC reportedly said funds had been secured for its own preparations, the chairperson of the Political Parties Council (PPC) told the meeting that the council had not received funding to support political parties’ participation in the electoral process.
Several parties called for financial assistance to enable them to organise and participate in the elections.
Former cabinet affairs minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro also raised concerns about the safety of political party leaders during the campaign period. NEC and PPC officials reportedly said responsibility for their protection rests primarily with the elections security committee.
South Sudan is scheduled to hold its first general elections on December 22, 2026, following years of delays to the transitional political process. However, preparations have faced persistent challenges, including delays in voter registration and concerns about institutional, financial and logistical capacity.
NEC has yet to announce a date for the start of voter registration.
and then