People in South Sudan began registering to vote on Saturday as the country postponed its first general elections since independence from Sudan in 2011. The National Elections Commission announced that the polls, initially due in December, have been rescheduled for February 11. This postponement marks another delay in the electoral process, which was first scheduled for 2015.
The decision to postpone the elections was made to allow for the implementation of additional processes, including the distribution of registration materials and civic education. According to Commission spokesperson Josephine Achiro, the adjustment of the electoral timeline should not be seen as a discussion to abandon or call off the elections. The commission aims to ensure that the electoral process is conducted smoothly and credibly.
The postponement comes amid growing violence, political battles between President Salva Kiir and deposed Vice President Riek Machar, and slow voter registration. Machar, Kiir's main opponent, has been under house arrest since March 2025, accused of crimes against humanity. A bloody civil war between the forces of the two men between 2013 and 2018 resulted in over 400,000 deaths.
The 2018 peace accord brought in a government of national unity with Kiir as president and Machar as his deputy, tasked with paving the way to elections in 2022. However, those elections have been repeatedly postponed, and the administration has implemented virtually none of the provisions in the peace agreement. Machar was suspended and charged with treason and murder in 2025.
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan recently warned that a December election could set off widespread conflict if used to dismantle the 2018 accord. Gabriel Bol Deng Majok, chairperson of the National Elections Commission, appealed to politicians to refrain from using violence and instead speak "to the mind, heart, and soul" of the people. He emphasized that leadership should be achieved through ballot papers, not bullets.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned about conditions in the country, including the displacement of tens of thousands of people and the disruption of international humanitarian operations. The World Bank estimates that around 90 percent of South Sudan's 15 million inhabitants lack state-recognized identification, complicating voter registration and presenting significant logistical challenges for the elections.
Authorities have set up over 3,100 registration centers across the country, a process theoretically due to last two weeks. However, officials noted that not all the necessary equipment was in place. The postponement to February 11 is expected to provide more time for the electoral preparations, but concerns remain about the country's readiness to hold credible elections.
Key points
- The elections have been postponed several times, and the administration has implemented virtually none of the provisions in the 2018 peace agreement.
