Da Dona
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- Dec 16, 2025
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South Sudan President Salva Kiir has signed amendments to the country’s election law ahead of the December 22, 2026 general elections, removing requirements for a national census and the completion of a permanent constitution before the vote.
The amendments are intended to clear legal provisions that had made the elections dependent on completing those processes. Presidential Affairs Minister Africano Mande Gedima said the changes align the election law with the transitional constitution.
The South Sudan Opposition Alliance, a coalition of opposition parties and a signatory to the 2018 peace agreement, rejected the amendments, arguing that they were made without adequate consultation among the agreement’s parties.
Under the new law, the incumbent executive leadership will remain in office with full constitutional powers through the election period until a newly elected president assumes office. The first vice president and other vice presidents are required to leave office within three months before election day.
The law also reduces the National Legislative Assembly from 650 to 270 members, while state assemblies will have 58 members, down from 100. Legislative councils in administrative areas will have 20 members.
The changes come as South Sudan prepares for its first election since independence in 2011, following repeated delays under the transitional period established by the 2018 peace agreement. Voter registration has not yet begun.
Opposition leader Riek Machar, President Kiir’s longtime rival, has been under house arrest since March 2025 and is facing charges including treason and murder, which he denies. Last week, Kiir also replaced the head of the elections commission without giving a reason.
Civil society leader Edmund Yakani has urged political leaders to resolve their differences peacefully, warning against actions that could push the country back into conflict.
Daily Monitor UG