Juba, South Sudan (Running Africa) — President Salva Kiir has signed amendments to South Sudan’s election law, removing legal requirements that tied the country’s planned December 22 general election to completion of a permanent constitution and national census.
Kiir signed the amended National Elections Act on Monday, hours after it passed parliament, clearing a legal hurdle ahead of what is scheduled to be South Sudan’s first general election since independence in 2011.
The government says the changes align the election law with the transitional constitution and allow the National Elections Commission to proceed with preparations for the vote.
South Sudan Election Law Removes Constitution and Census Requirements
Under the amended law, elections no longer depend on South Sudan completing its permanent constitution-making process or conducting a national population census.
The legislation also allows the incumbent executive leadership to remain in office with full constitutional powers during the election period until a newly elected president takes office.
The next National Legislative Assembly will have 270 members, down from 650, while state legislative assemblies will have 58 members instead of 100. Administrative Area Legislative Councils will have 20 members.
Opposition Rejects Election Law Changes
The South Sudan Opposition Alliance, a signatory to the 2018 peace agreement, rejected the amendments, arguing they were adopted without sufficient consultation among parties to the agreement.
The changes come days after Kiir replaced Abednego Akok Kacuol, chairperson of the National Elections Commission, without publicly providing a reason. Gabriel Bol Deng Majok, previously the commission’s secretary-general, was appointed as his replacement.
Kiir’s longtime rival Riek Machar, leader of the SPLM-IO, has been under house arrest since March 2025 and is on trial on charges including treason and murder, which he denies.
Voter Registration Yet to Begin Ahead of December Election
Despite the legal changes, significant preparations remain ahead of the December 22 election, including voter registration, which has yet to begin.
South Sudan has repeatedly postponed elections during the political transition established under the 2018 peace agreement.
Civil society groups have urged the country’s political leaders to resolve disputes peacefully as election preparations move forward.
The December vote, if held as scheduled, would mark South Sudan’s first general election since it became independent in 2011.
