South Sudan Sets First Post-Independence Election for December 2026
South Sudan will hold its first-ever post-independence general election on Dec. 22, 2026, the National Elections Commission (NEC) announced on Monday, setting a date for a vote that could mark a major milestone in the country’s long-delayed democratic transition.
The election is set to become the most consequential political test since South Sudan gained independence in 2011 and, if held as planned, would be the country’s first national vote in 15 years.
Announcing the date in Juba, NEC Chairperson Prof. Abednego Akok Kacuol said the commission had concluded deliberations in line with the peace agreement and the National Elections Act.
“The election will be conducted on December 22, 2026 as detailed in the National Election Commission Act and our action extension to December 2026,” Kacuol told reporters.
The announcement follows a decision by the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in December 2024 to extend the transitional period by an additional two years. The extension was the fourth since the signing of the peace agreement and pushed the planned election date from December 2024 to December 2026.
Kacuol said the commission’s decision was guided by Article 16 of the National Elections Act 2012, as amended in 2023, which requires the commission to announce an election date at least six months before voting takes place.
“Whenever an election is to be held, the commission shall determine and announce the date in accordance with the constitution and publish in the official gazette or the two newspapers with nationwide circulation and on the commission’s website and mass media a notice of the holding of the election at least six months before the date of the election,” he said, quoting the law.
“Hence, from June 22, 2026 to December 22, 2026 is six months as specified above,” he added.
The announcement comes amid mounting international pressure on South Sudan’s leaders to implement key provisions of the peace agreement and deliver a credible democratic transition.
The election is expected to determine the country’s first elected leadership since independence, potentially bringing to an end years of political transition, repeated extensions and missed deadlines.
Kacuol, however, warned that significant obstacles remain ahead of the vote.
“There are many challenges facing the commission and we strongly request the government to speed up amending the existing legal gaps and to provide all basic needs,” he said.
South Sudan has never held a national election since becoming independent from Sudan in 2011. The planned vote in December 2026 is expected to test the implementation of the peace process and the country’s readiness for a democratic transfer of power.