The National Council of Ministers on Thursday entrenched the extension of the transitional period and the delay of general elections into the transitional constitution.
Addressing reporters after a meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir in Juba, Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr Martin Elia Lomuro, said the amendment will not extend the tenure of all government offices, and that the Justice minister was expected to present the extension to the parliament on Friday.
“This afternoon, the Council of Ministers chaired by the President, considered that the amendment of the transitional constitution of South Sudan 2011, has amended and incorporated the endorsement to postpone the elections and to extend the transitional period by 24 months from February 22, 2025 to February 22, 2027,” Lomuro said.
“We are very happy that all has happened within the scope of our expectation and we now hope that the Ministry of Justice will tomorrow present this Bill amending the transitional constitution to the assembly for consideration,” he added.
Last week, the Transitional Government postponed the December 2024 General Election to December 2026, citing a lack of preparedness, a move that was approved by the peace implementation monitors, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) on Wednesday.
That was the second time the country, which gained independence in 2011, was postponing elections and extending a transitional period that started in February 2020.
Several Western diplomatic missions and a section of South Sudanese citizens expressed regret and disappointment over South Sudan’s decision to delay its first-ever elections for two years.
In a joint statement issued Wednesday, the Embassies of the UK, US, Norway, EU, Canada, France, Germany, and the Netherlands expressed their disappointment at this decision, saying the timely holding of elections is a key element in strengthening stability, democracy, and sustainable development in South Sudan.
South Sudan will now require over US$433 million to conduct General Elections in December 2026.