South Sudan Schedules First Post-Independence Election for Dec. 22, 2026

The National Elections Commission (NEC) set 22 December 2026 as the date for South Sudan’s first general election, citing Article 16(1) of the National Elections Act (2012, amended 2023) and the extended Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

South Sudan sets Dec. 22 for long-awaited general electionsNEC announces December 22 as South Sudan’s general election dateSouth Sudan sets Dec. 22 for country’s first post-independence electionPBS News Hour

Independence came in 2011, but a rivalry between President Salva Kiir and former deputy Riek Machar sparked civil war in December 2013. A 2018 peace accord collapsed in 2019; in September 2024 the Transitional Government of National Unity extended the transition by two years, moving the election to 22 December 2026.

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President Salva Kiir; First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar (under house arrest); NEC Chair Prof. Abednego Akok Kacuol; armed groups SSPDF, SPLM-IO, NAS; United Nations.

South Sudan sets Dec. 22 for country’s first post-independence election

The vote, first planned after 2011, has been postponed five times; the transition now ends 22 December 2026. UN estimates displaced persons in the hundreds of thousands, and a recent raid killed 169 civilians.

NEC announces December 22 as South Sudan’s general election date

The election is billed as a “key milestone” for cementing peace and establishing lasting democratic institutions; success could legitimize the government, while failure risks deeper fragmentation and renewed violence.

South Sudan sets Dec. 22 for country’s first post-independence election

NEC officials said schedule follows National Elections Act and R-ARCSS, urging the government to “speed up amending the existing legal gaps” and provide “all basic needs” for the vote. United States called for renewed peace talks, and UN warned that leaders are “systematically dismantling” the 2018 agreement.

South Sudan sets Dec. 22 for long-awaited general elections

SPLM-IO chair Nathaniel Pierino warned that voter registration in SPLM-IO-controlled areas could make registrants “prisoners of war,” adding “the country is at war.” Human-rights groups reported a shrinking civic space and arbitrary detention of activists, journalists and youth leaders by the National Security Service.

South Sudan sets Dec. 22 for country’s first post-independence election

Clashes involving SSPDF, SPLM-IO, NAS and ethnic militias persist in Upper Nile, Unity and Jonglei, hindering voter registration and polling-center setup. NEC says preparations are “underway,” yet cites “significant operational and systemic roadblocks,” unresolved legal gaps and funding shortages. Whether Machar can run remains unclear, and security conditions stay volatile in several states.

South Sudan sets Dec. 22 for country’s first post-independence election

• “Anyone coming to register voters and campaign in territories controlled by the mighty SPLM-IO, you will be a prisoner of war,” — Nathaniel Pierino, acting chair, SPLM-IO.

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• “Be reminded, the country is at war.” — Nathaniel Pierino, acting chair, SPLM-IO.

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• “The election will be conducted on Dec. 22, 2026, as detailed in the National Election Commission Act and the revitalized peace agreement's extension to that date,” — Prof. Abednego Akok Kacuol, NEC Chairperson.

South Sudan sets Dec. 22 for long-awaited general elections

• “The public is to be informed that sovereignty is to vote during the election as the only way of getting into power,” — Prof. Akok Kacuol.

South Sudan sets Dec. 22 for country’s first post-independence election

NEC plans a nationwide voter-registration drive within the next month, followed by a detailed electoral calendar. Legal amendments and additional funding are required to complete polling-center preparation, and international observers are expected to monitor the December vote.

NEC announces December 22 as South Sudan’s general election date