The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Party on Monday said it accepted the postponement of the long-delayed national election until December 2026 due to a lack of funding.
The presidency on Friday announced the postponement of elections and extended the transition period by 24 months starting February 2025 to February 2026.
Addressing a press conference in Juba, SPLM Party Secretary General Peter Lam Both said the ruling party was forced by lack of funds to accept the extension.
“Our people are for elections, the SPLM is for elections, but the problem is that if the funds are not available, even our people, I think, will not accept that election. You have to have an election that has a semblance of credibility,” Lam said.
“If we say now, let’s go for elections, and we cannot conduct elections within Juba here because of lack of funding. Elections mean you have to have funds to register people. “
He added: “You have to have funds to go from one place to another. If that is not there, then it will not be credible elections. And for that reason, we call on our people that peace is better than war. If we go now and fight SPLM-IO, what benefit does it give to anybody?”
He said the country will start seeking funds to conduct elections in December 2026.
“We must look for money between now and February 2025 so that these mechanisms can do their work and the elections can take place December 22, 2026,” he said. “That is what was agreed by the presidency and that is what we accepted. For us as SPLM, as Secretary General, I find it difficult even to stand here to talk about extension.”