South Sudan postpones December election by two years

South Sudan’s government has announced it is postponing long-delayed general elections until December 2026, citing a lack of preparedness.

This is the second time the country, which gained independence in 2011, is postponing elections and extending a transitional period that started in February 2020.President Salva Kiir and his former rival turned deputy, Riek Machar, signed a peace agreement in 2018 that ended a five-year civil war which killed an estimated 400,000 people, triggered a famine and led to a massive refugee crisis.

“The presidency, under the chairmanship of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, has announced an extension of the country’s transitional period by two years as well as postponing elections, which were initially scheduled for December 2024 to December 22nd, 2026,” Kiir’s office said on Friday.

The government said it needed more time to complete processes such as a census, the drafting of a permanent constitution and the registration of political parties before an election could be held, according to the presidential adviser on national security, Tut Gatluak.