South Sudan’s National Elections Commission has called on politicians and political parties to support a peaceful electoral process ahead of the country’s planned general election in December.
Commission Chairman Gabriel Bol Deng Majok made the appeal on Tuesday, the same day President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional government, paving the way for the December 22 election.
Majok urged political actors to pursue their objectives through the electoral process rather than violence.
“So, my appeal is to our politicians, to our political parties, to convert their political ideas into ballot paper and not bullets,” he said.
“It is the work of every politician, every political party, every citizen to ensure that this election is peaceful,” he added.
The election would be the first national poll in South Sudan since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011.
With less than three months before the scheduled vote, the National Elections Commission said preparations were progressing, including plans to begin voter registration.
The commission said it had approved the necessary registration forms and assessed voter registration centres across the country.
“Our role as a Commission is to level the playing field, to make sure the field is smooth, and there are rules and regulations to govern the 90-minute play,” Majok said.
The commission also displayed voting cards during Tuesday’s briefing as part of its preparations for the election.
South Sudan has been under transitional arrangements since a 2018 peace agreement aimed at ending years of civil war. However, repeated delays in implementing key provisions of the agreement have contributed to successive postponements of the elections.
The latest election timetable comes as the country continues to face political and security challenges, making the commission’s call for a peaceful electoral process particularly significant.
