Catholic Bishop Prays for Healing of “wounds of war,” as South Sudan Marks 15th Independence Anniversary
“Strengthen us to uphold human rights, defend the dignity of every person, reject violence, and promote peace, truth, and mutual forgiveness,” Bishop Hiiboro prays, underscoring the need to uphold the sanctity of human life and defend the dignity of every person.
For all those entrusted with public responsibility, including political leaders, civil servants, members of the security forces, and the country’s youth, he asks that they remain steadfast in hope.
In his prayer for the country’s 15th independence anniversary, Bishop Hiiboro, who has been at the helm of South Sudan’s Episcopal See since June 2008, also thanks God for the gift of South Sudan and for the sacrifices made to secure its independence.
The South Sudanese Bishop invokes the guidance of the Holy Spirit in building a nation founded on love, respect, and the common good, asking that South Sudan’s future be directed toward God’s glory and the well-being of all its people.
South Sudan’s 15th independence anniversary takes place at a time when the country is preparing for the long-awaited first general election, which the electoral commission of the East-Central African nation scheduled for 22 December 2026.
In a statement announcing the new date for the election that was postponed two years ago, the Chairman of the country’s National Election Commission (NEC), Prof. Abednego Akok Kacuol, said the decision was made in accordance with the country’s electoral laws and the provisions of the peace agreement guiding South Sudan’s political transition.
“The election will be conducted on December 22, 2026,” Prof. Kacuol announced from the NEC headquarters in South Sudan’s capital, Juba on Monday, June 22, adding that the announcement fulfills the legal requirement that the commission declare the election date at least six months before voting takes place.
The Commissioners, he said, have been deliberating on the electoral process in line with the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and the National Elections Act of 2012 as amended in 2023.
The Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) resolved to extend the transitional period by two years in September 2024, marking the fourth postponement of the nation’s first post-independence election since the country gained independence in 2011.
Meanwhile, South Sudan’s opposition alliance, the United People’s Alliance (UPA), has rejected the decision to hold the country’s first-ever general elections on 22 December 2026, saying the necessary legal, constitutional, and security conditions for a credible vote have not been met.