South Sudan’s parliament on Tuesday passed constitutional amendments aimed at removing legal obstacles to general elections scheduled for Dec. 22, 2026, completing all stages of the bill in a single day.
The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) approved the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, 2011 (Amendment) No. 13 Bill 2026 during a closed-door session after journalists and members of the public were ordered to leave the parliamentary premises.
Speaker Joseph Paciko Ngere cited national security concerns for holding the session in camera.
Parliamentary spokesperson Oliver Mori Benjamin confirmed the unanimous passage to Radio Tamazuj.
“Amendment No. 13 has been passed unanimously,” Mori said.
The bill, first tabled in parliament last month by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Wek Mamer Kuol, seeks to separate the election process from the permanent constitution-making process and a national population and housing census, which had been cited as prerequisites for elections.
“This paves the way for elections, removing all the obstacles that have been standing along the way for the smooth running of the elections,” Mori said.
The amendment affects several provisions of the transitional constitution, including Articles 53(3)(d) and (m), 104(9), (10) and (14), and 202(4).
The cabinet approved the bill on Aug. 7 at a meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, saying the changes were necessary to remove legal obstacles to the planned elections.
The latest amendment follows controversial changes to the 2018 peace agreement approved by parliament in July. Those changes removed requirements for a permanent constitution and a national population census to be completed before elections could be held.
MPs reject some changes
Lawmakers, however, opposed parts of the cabinet’s proposals, particularly those affecting the composition of the national parliament.
Bol Joseph Agau, a member of the opposition National Democratic Movement (NDM), told Radio Tamazuj that parliament rejected 13 proposals submitted by the cabinet that would have reduced the number of lawmakers in the national legislature.
Agau said the cabinet had proposed deleting Articles 56(2), 58(2) and 94 in their entirety, but the Legislation and Justice Committee led by Dengtiel Ayuen retained the provisions.
“The Legislation and Justice Committee of the TNLA retained them,” Agau said.
He said the retained provisions, including those governing the composition of parliament, do not constitute an obstacle to holding elections in December.
“These amendments were not part of what was required to take the country to elections. They are not hurdles for elections,” he said.
Agau said the proposed changes went beyond what had been agreed during an expanded meeting of the presidency.
Under the 2018 peace agreement, South Sudan’s national parliament comprises 550 seats, allocated as follows: SPLM and its allied parties (ITGoNU), 332 seats; SPLM-IO, 128; SSOA, 50; FDs, 10; and OPP, 30.
Under South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution, a bill passed by parliament is sent to the president for assent. The president has 30 days to sign it or return it to parliament with reasons.
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