OPP pushes for December 2026 polls, warns against further delays

JUBA – Peter Mayen Majongdit, leader of the People’s Liberal Party and head of the Other Political Parties (OPP), has called for credible and timely elections in December 2026, arguing that any further delay risks deepening political uncertainty and eroding public trust in South Sudan’s transitional government.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post on Tuesday, Majongdit said the government’s mandate stems from the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement and must ultimately be validated by the people through the ballot box.

“The Revitalized Agreement mandates elections by December 2026 (Articles 4.8 and 8.4). Extensions are permitted only under strict consensus (Article 4.9)—a consensus that does not exist,” he said. “Public trust has reached a nadir; further delays will not prevent instability but rather fuel it.”

South Sudan’s transitional period has already been extended twice. The initial elections were scheduled for December 2024 but were postponed in June 2024 for two years due to delays in conducting a national census, drafting a permanent constitution, and registering political parties. The extension prolonged the tenure of President Salva Kiir’s transitional government until December 2026.

Majongdit dismissed concerns that elections cannot proceed without a permanent constitution, describing such arguments as legally unfounded. He cited a decision by the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) that delinked the electoral cycle from the finalisation of the constitution.

“The Transitional Constitution has served as a sufficient legal anchor for nearly a decade,” he said, adding that harmonisation of laws is reportedly 80 per cent complete, according to the Ministry of Justice, and that key electoral legislation has already been passed by the National Legislature.

According to the OPP leader, holding elections under the current framework is the only viable path to preserving institutional legitimacy. “The arguments for postponement offer no new evidence—only hypotheticals that crumble under scrutiny,” he said.

He urged the government to fast-track critical preparations, including voter registration, civic education, and the reconstitution of electoral bodies. Majongdit also called on the National Elections Commission (NEC) to operate independently and ensure a level playing field for all political parties.

He revealed that the NEC has secured $150 million in international pledges and is currently training 50,000 staff ahead of the polls. He further noted that the 2024–2026 Electoral Roadmap, harmonized by R-JMEC, outlines a clear timeline for civic education, arguing that funding gaps are a matter of political will rather than economic constraint.

On Monday, the NEC announced it will use the 2010 constituency boundaries for the December 2026 elections due to delays in conducting a new census.

Majongdit maintained that elections should not be viewed as the “culmination” of endless reforms but as the starting point for strengthening sovereignty and democratic governance.

“The people of South Sudan deserve the elections they were promised,” he said. “Delays have failed us; democracy will heal us. It is time to move forward.”