As South Sudan inches closer to the long-awaited 2026 national elections, a wave of frustration and skepticism is sweeping across the country, with citizens expressing deep concerns over the credibility and feasibility of the polls. Despite commitments by parties to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, many South Sudanese say progress has stalled, leaving them doubtful that the election will take place as planned.
A resident of Juba, Bida Emanuel, shared his fears that the elections will likely not happen given the current political instability and security threats.
“From the look of things, the elections will not take place in 2026 as stated by the parties to the peace agreement,” he said. “If you look at the latest developments in the SPLM-IO, the way SPLM-IG is driving things left, right, and center—it is complicating the situation further. And then there are military offensives happening across the country. The environment is just not enabling elections.”
Similar sentiments were echoed by Peter Ajak Ayom in Bor, Jonglei State. He said repeated delays in the election timeline have eroded public confidence in the transition process.
“The government has been pushing elections every time. Now they have moved it to 2026, but important steps like constituency mapping, public awareness, and voter registration have not even started,” he stated. “What makes them think they will pull it off at the last minute? I think we will see another delay.”
For his part, James Deng Dhieu, a resident of the Upper Nile State capital, Malakal, believes it is the democratic right of citizens to choose their leaders, something South Sudanese have been yearning for but have yet to be given a chance to exercise.
“The people of South Sudan have been waiting for this moment, the right to choose their leaders, to shape the future of this nation, but the delay, the uncertainty, is becoming unbearable,” he stated. “We deserve a chance to vote, to participate in our democracy. We deserve leadership that reflects our hopes and our needs, but right now, it feels like we’re being denied that right.”
In Bentiu, Unity State, James Gatdet Gatjuol noted that key provisions of the peace deal, especially those relating to security and humanitarian support, remain largely unimplemented.
“We cannot talk about elections when security is still an issue, when people are still detained and displaced,” he opined. “If we do not resolve these problems, we could easily slide back into conflict like we saw in 2013 and 2016.”
Meanwhile, Khamis Gabriel from Yambio in Western Equatoria State also raised an alarm about the ongoing insecurity there, saying the presence of armed groups and violence in rural areas makes it difficult for citizens to freely participate in elections.
“Elections in 2026 are important, and if they do not happen, we are denied our rights,” Gabriel said. “But how can we vote when people are still being attacked? There is fear and panic. It is not safe.”
Amid this growing public doubt, civil society organizations are also raising red flags. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), warned that time is running out to create the necessary conditions for credible elections.
“What we are witnessing now clearly demonstrates that the expected elections may not be held,” Yakani said. “We are wasting time instead of creating the right conditions for a peaceful and successful political transition.”
He emphasized that for the election to proceed as scheduled in December 2026, parties to the peace agreement must urgently recommit themselves to implementing key provisions, particularly those related to security arrangements and electoral preparedness.
As political uncertainty deepens, many citizens across South Sudan say they fear that without decisive action, the country risks slipping further away from the democratic transition it has long awaited.