South Sudan's parties face October 22 deadline as election preparations lag

Preparations for South Sudan's elections are lagging, according to DW, and political tensions are high. President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional unity government on September 22 to form a caretaker administration, DW reported, and the debate over the polls has intensified since then. Political parties have until October 22 to present their manifestos and register.

On October 7, South Sudan concluded a two-week Inter-Party Dialogue in which 39 parties participated, according to DW. Denis Logonyi, a journalist based in the capital Juba, told DW that some civil society groups were left out of the dialogue, which was initiated by President Kiir. Logonyi said ordinary people are not talking much about the elections, while discussions continue in political circles and on social media.

Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lomuro listed challenges facing the vote. He said delayed funding could severely affect civic education and election infrastructure, and that a clear legal framework is needed to govern participation of the country's administrative areas, which he said are not clearly reflected in the National Election Act. He added that a credible election requires security readiness throughout the entire cycle, including campaign rallies, polling stations, voting, counting and results transmission, and that the unified security forces have not yet been fully deployed.

Albino Akol Atak, deputy rapporteur of the Inter-Party Dialogue and minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, said the parties unanimously agreed to adhere to the election timeline. "The election train has left the station, and it has no reverse gear," he said. He said they were trying to smooth the pathway for the train to arrive on December 22, 2026, without obstacles.

Changkuoth Bichok Reath, secretary general of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), said successfully conducting the election on December 22 requires coordinated, inclusive action from all national institutions, political parties, security actors, civil society and other stakeholders. He said that given the limited time remaining, priority should be placed on resolving outstanding legal issues and ensuring constructive dialogue among political actors. He added that political parties must be funded to meet key requirements, because a lack of funding will only draw the process backward.

DW reported that one voter complained there had been no voter education and no voter registration with only a few months remaining, and another said South Sudanese citizens were eager for a credible election process but the country was not adequately prepared. Food prices are rising, civil servants are not being paid and displaced people are struggling, they said.