South Sudan is scheduled to hold its first-ever general election on December 22, marking a historic but deeply tense milestone since the country gained independence in 2011.
The vote has been repeatedly delayed for over a decade due to civil war and chronic political instability. Originally scheduled for 2015, the election was pushed back after a brutal conflict erupted. A subsequent 2018 peace agreement aimed for a 2022 vote, but that deadline was also missed due to ongoing friction between President Salva Kiir and his long-time rival, Riek Machar.
Kiir has remained in power for 15 years. Meanwhile, Machar, who was sacked from his position as Vice-President, was arrested last year. He currently remains under house arrest in Juba, facing charges of murder, treason, and crimes against humanity, all of which he denies.
While National Elections Commission Chairperson Abednego Akok Kacuol confirmed the December date, he warned that critical challenges remain. Unresolved legal amendments and significant funding gaps are still hampering final preparations for the historic poll.
–ChannelAfrica–
