South Sudan Announces December 2026 Election Date Since Independence

The flag of South Sudan. (Aboodi vesakaran-Unsplash)

South Sudan has announced that it will hold general elections (pemilu) on December 22, 2026.

The announcement came amid still unconducive security situation and conditions in the East African country and years of election delays.

Citing AFP, Monday, June 22, international observers warned of the high potential for conflict in South Sudan following this announcement.

The civil war between government forces under the leadership of President Salva Kiir against a number of groups allied with the detained government opposition leader, Riek Machar, is still ongoing in South Sudan.

Previously, the civil war between Kiir and Machar in South Sudan ended with a peace pledge in 2018.

Since then, the economy in South Sudan has been increasingly worrying about falling into a deep hole of poverty, while corruption and extreme violence are still rampant.

During the peace period, elections in South Sudan were supposed to be held in 2022, but were postponed until 2024, and then again postponed until this year.

The election organizer in South Sudan, the National Elections Commission (NEC), has also confirmed the date of the democracy party in the country.

However, the Chairman of the NEC, Abednego Akok Kacuol, said there were still obstacles in holding elections as hoped for because the conditions of the peace agreement for those in conflict had not been met.

If the December 2026 elections are held smoothly, this will be the first election since South Sudan gained independence in 2011.