Kornelio Kon declares 2026 presidential bid, challenging Kiir
Author: Madrama James | Published: 4 hours ago
Rt. Hon. Kornelio Kon Ngu, 3rd Deputy Speaker of the TNLA and Chairperson of the National Alliance of Political Parties (NAOPP) in South Sudan. | Photo: Courtesy
TNLA Third Deputy Speaker Kornelio Kon Ngu has officially entered the 2026 presidential race, launching a high-profile bid to challenge President Salva Kiir under the National Alliance of Political Parties (NAOPP) banner.
Kornelio currently serves as the 3rd Deputy Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) and leads the National United Democratic Front (NUDF).
Speaking over the weekend during the NAOPP Summit in Juba—organized under the theme “Towards a Unified Political and Electoral Vision for the Alliance”—Kornelio emphasized that South Sudan’s development continues to be disproportionately concentrated in the nation’s capital, warning that citizens must participate in elections to break the pattern.
“In the former Sudan, all services were concentrated in Khartoum, and today South Sudan faces the exact same reality, where services are confined to Juba. To see modern infrastructure, access quality education, or find real opportunities, one must come to the capital,” Kornelio told delegates.
“Many people are afraid to speak out, but I believe it is critical to tell the untold stories. I have lived long enough in this world to no longer fear speaking the truth. If we continue on this path, we will only divide our country further. To prevent this, we must proceed to elections.”
Criticism of SPLM-IG and Inter-Party Endorsements
During the summit address, Kornelio sharply criticized the ruling SPLM-In Government (SPLM-IG), describing it not as a standard political party but as an armed group, pointing to instances where active military officials are integrated directly into the political movement rather than restricted to its military wing.
The summit also saw multi-party backing for Kornelio’s presidential bid. The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and its coalition allies officially endorsed his candidacy ahead of the 2026 polls.
“We, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), have officially endorsed and support Rt. Hon. Speaker Kornelio Kon Ngu as our candidate for the upcoming general election in 2026,” a PSP representative declared during the summit. “We at the Democratic Alliance Party are committed to backing his candidacy and ensuring strong support in this election.”