Elections are far more than periodic rituals for transferring or retaining political power between competing parties. They are the fundamental mechanism through which citizens exercise sovereignty, hold authority to account, and shape the future of their country. In a genuine democracy, elections transform the idea of popular power into a concrete political reality.
First, elections serve as a primary tool of accountability and leadership selection. They enable citizens to assess those in power and to remove leaders who have failed to deliver on their mandates or uphold public trust. At the same time, elections provide a structured and peaceful means for selecting representatives, whose values, policies, and visions align with the aspirations of the electorate. This dual function ensures that leadership remains conditional upon public consent.
Second, elections give citizens a direct influence over public policy. Through voting, people shape decisions that affect everyday life, including healthcare, education, taxation, infrastructure, and social welfare. Electoral competition allows voters to compare political platforms and choose policies they believe best serve their communities. In this sense, elections are not merely about personalities, but about competing ideas for national development.
Third, elections confer political legitimacy and stability. A government that emerges from credible elections gains a legitimate mandate to govern. This legitimacy underpins the principle of government “by the people” and reinforces public confidence in state institutions. Equally important, elections provide a lawful and peaceful mechanism for leadership change, reducing the likelihood of violence and instability, commonly associated with authoritarian or exclusionary systems.
Fourth, elections strengthen civic engagement and democratic culture. Electoral processes and campaigns educate citizens about national issues, governance structures, and political rights. Regular participation nurtures a sense of responsibility, ownership, and political awareness, thereby deepening democracy and safeguarding it for future generations.
Finally, elections play a vital role in the protection of rights and equality. Participation in elections helps defend hard-won civil and political freedoms and ensures that marginalized groups have an equal voice. The principle of universal suffrage, “one person, one vote”, remains central to democratic fairness, guaranteeing that every adult citizen’s choice carries equal weight regardless of ethnicity, gender, or social background.
While elections are a powerful tool of citizen empowerment, their democratic value depends entirely on the conditions under which they are conducted. In fragile and post-conflict contexts such as South Sudan, the prerequisites for free, fair, and credible elections are particularly critical.
Central to this process is the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). Signed in 2018, the agreement provides the legal, political, and security framework for a democratic transition. Its key pillars include governance and power-sharing arrangements, transitional security reforms, constitutional development, transitional justice, and economic and institutional reforms.
Legally, elections require a clear constitutional and electoral framework. Although the SPLM-IG wants to bypass the R-ARCSS and proceed under the 2011 Transitional Constitution (as amended) to avoid further delays. This decision must be accompanied by urgent amendments to the National Elections Act to clarify voter eligibility, constituency boundaries, and dispute-resolution mechanisms. Independent and fully operational institutions, particularly the National Elections Commission, the Political Parties Council, and the National Constitutional Review Commission, are indispensable. These can only be achieved if the R-ARCSS is implemented.
Security remains the most decisive factor. Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) is a comprehensive process designed to stabilize post-conflict environments by removing weapons from combatants, disbanding military structures, and assisting in their transition to civilian life. It is a critical component of security arrangements, as it acts as a bridge between immediate conflict resolution and long-term peacebuilding, development, and Security Sector Reform (SSR). The unification, training, and deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) is the heart of the peace agreement and a prerequisite for a secure electoral environment. A comprehensive election security plan is required to protect voters, candidates, and polling stations, and to prevent a relapse into civil conflict.
Equally important are technical readiness and political inclusion. Reliable voter registration, adequate funding for electoral operations, and sustained civic education are essential. Political space must be open, allowing freedom of expression, assembly, and campaigning without intimidation. Inclusivity is non-negotiable: women, youth, and displaced populations must be meaningfully included, in line with the legally mandated 35% quota for women’s participation.
South Sudan’s conflict is rooted in elite power struggles, ethnic politicization, competition over resources, particularly oil, and weak state institutions. Elections held without addressing these structural drivers risk reinforcing instability rather than resolving it. As repeatedly warned by regional and international partners, elections conducted in the absence of minimum legal, security, and institutional conditions could undermine peace instead of consolidating it.
In conclusion, elections are not an end in themselves. They are a means to restoring citizen authority, legitimizing governance, and transforming violent political competition into peaceful contestation. For South Sudan, lasting peace and credible elections are inseparable. Only through the faithful implementation of the R-ARCSS, can elections truly empower citizens, heal divisions, and place the country on a sustainable path toward democratic governance.
The writer, Juol Nhomngek Daniel, is a lawyer, politician, a lecturer and a member of the SPLM-IO. His area of interest is constitutional, administrative, and human rights law. He can be reached via email: nhomngekjuol@gmail.com
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.