A dispute over a $75,000 political party registration fee and concerns about the conditions for credible elections is deepening in South Sudan as the country prepares for a long-delayed general election scheduled for December 2026.
The disagreement pits the Political Parties Council (PPC) against several unregistered political parties after the National Elections Commission (NEC) announced Dec. 22, 2026, as the election date and the PPC maintained a June 30 deadline for parties to register if they wish to participate.
Several political leaders told Radio Tamazuj that the registration fee was prohibitively high and questioned whether the political, legal and security conditions necessary for free, fair and peaceful elections were in place.
Bol Joseph Agau, acting secretary-general of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) and a member of parliament, said his party would complete its registration before the deadline despite challenges faced by opposition groups.
Agau said the NDM was often targeted because it was viewed as an alternative to the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
“When the NDM is fully registered, Dr. Lam Akol will contest for the presidency. We are an alternative to the SPLM,” Agau said.
He confirmed that NDM leader Lam Akol Ajawin would be the party’s presidential candidate.
Moro Genesio, chairman of the South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC), said his party intends to participate in the elections but remains concerned about the broader political environment.
He said uncertainty persists over implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), noting that legislation linked to the peace deal had been presented to parliament and later withdrawn.
“We need to know exactly what is happening regarding the R-ARCSS and whether the country is moving forward within the framework of the agreement,” Genesio said.
He also raised concerns about what he described as unilateral decision-making and the exclusion of some peace agreement signatories from key political processes.
The SSNMC has yet to register, citing challenges including the $75,000 registration fee.
“We have not registered yet, but we believe the PPC should extend the registration period because there are pending issues that need to be addressed, including the payment of the $75,000 fee,” Genesio said.
He said the party had asked the PPC to extend the registration deadline by two to three months to allow more parties to meet the requirements.
Genesio also said the election timetable had not been accompanied by clear guidance on political activity, limiting parties’ ability to engage voters and present their manifestos.
“The announcement of the election date did not come with an announcement of an open engagement of the political parties. We are waiting for official communication allowing political parties to engage freely with their supporters and present their programs to the public. We need adequate political space to interact with citizens and explain our vision for the country,” he said.
Political analyst Prof. Abraham Kuol Nyuon told Radio Tamazuj that the cost of registration reflects South Sudan’s system of granting parties permanent registration rather than requiring periodic renewal tied to electoral cycles.
“You know politics is a very expensive game. Even the campaign itself comes with lots of costs. But the problem we have in South Sudan is based on the policies on how parties are registered. We do once-for-all registration of political parties. And countries that do once-for-all registration make it more expensive,” said Kuol, an assistant professor of politics, peace and security studies at the University of Juba.
He said registration costs could be lower if parties were required to register for fixed periods linked to electoral cycles.
Kuol advised unregistered parties to either merge with registered parties or field candidates as independents.
“My advice will be, if your party is not registered and you are interested in vying for this election, you have two choices. The first is to merge with an already registered party or form a coalition with a registered party. The second is, if you do not want to associate yourself with any party, then stand as an independent candidate,” he said.
The PPC has rejected calls to extend the June 30 deadline, saying parties that fail to register in time will be barred from participating in the election.
PPC Chairperson James Akol Zakayo said earlier this month that strict enforcement was necessary to maintain order within the political party system ahead of the vote.
“The June 30 deadline remains final and binding. Any political entity that fails to fully complete its registration by this date will be disqualified from fielding a candidate or appearing on the ballot for the 2026 general election,” Zakayo said.
He said no exceptions would be made.
“This is not the first election. If you are not prepared for this election, get prepared for the next one. The country will not be held hostage because one or two parties have not registered,” he said.
Zakayo said the deadline was linked to the broader transitional timetable and could only shift if election timelines were extended.
“At the end of the transitional period, there must be an elected government. When the election was extended last year, the deadline was pushed again. And if they extend the election again, the registration deadline will also keep shifting,” he said.
He added that parties could continue registering after the election and participate in future coalitions or mergers.
“Registration is a continuous process. You can still register and be part of the government to be formed after the election. There is merging and coalition before the election, and there can also be merging after the election,” Zakayo said.
The PPC is mandated under South Sudan’s Political Parties Act to register, regulate and monitor political parties and ensure compliance with multiparty democratic standards.
President Salva Kiir’s camp has insisted elections should proceed in December 2026, while some opposition groups argue that key provisions of the peace agreement remain unimplemented and conditions for a credible vote have not been met.
Among those raising concerns is the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), led by First Vice President Riek Machar, a principal signatory to the peace agreement. Machar is being held in Juba and faces treason charges.
The NEC on June 22 set Dec. 22, 2026, as the date for South Sudan’s first election since independence, while warning that legal inconsistencies and funding shortages could hamper preparations.
NEC Chairperson Abednego Akok Kacuol said the date was announced in line with electoral law requiring the commission to declare polling at least six months in advance, but acknowledged gaps and contradictions in the legal framework governing the process.
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