Negative Reactions Trail Postponement of Long-Delayed Election in South Sudan

“Two years ago, we were in an identical situation as we are today and gave our support specifically under the condition that there would be no more extensions,” Haysom said. “Today, it is sadly evident that the country is not ready for elections that we could confidently expect to generate a credible and peaceful outcome.”

A joint statement by the international guarantors of the peace process in South Sudan, which includes the U.S., the U.K, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and the European Union (EU) said that they are disappointed by the decision, adding that it is a reflection of the “failure of the transitional government to implement the 2018 peace agreement despite the promises made with the release of the ‘roadmap’ in 2022.”

South Sudan’s government postponed the elections saying that it needed “additional time to complete essential tasks before the polls.” Some of these yet-to-be-concluded tasks include sweeping security reforms and the unification of armed forces in the country, the enactment of a constitution, carrying out a census and the repatriation of millions of displaced South Sudanese citizens. The government also said it only has about 15 percent of the $228 million needed for the elections, and political parties are yet to be registered.

In 2018, the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in The Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) officially ushered in the transition period, in the hopes that the country, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and has been beset by civil wars and armed conflict, would become more stable after citizens are able to elect their leaders. Since then, however, the transitional government led by President Salva Kiir has extended elections in 2020 and 2022.

Before then, elections slated for 2015 and 2018 were pushed forward. The 2015 elections were postponed due to a civil war that started in 2013 and was caused by a power tussle between Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar. The war cost an estimated 400,000 lives and displaced millions more. South Sudan has been in relative peace since 2018, however, armed groups still operate in parts of the country and violence has persisted.

South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world, despite raking in oil revenues, with critics saying the commonwealth is controlled by Kiir and a select few in the political elite. Half of the country lives under the poverty line, only about one-third of the population is literate and 80 percent of the people live in rural areas, subsisting on farming and animal husbandry.

Kiir has been the de facto ruler of South Sudan since 2005 and he continued in his presidential role after independence in 2011, in what was supposed to be a single four-year term. Without the transitional constitution stipulating term limits, he has found ways to remain in power and is expected to run in any democratic election — if that ever happens.

Responding to the discontent from its international guarantors, South Sudan’s cabinet affairs minister, Elia Lomuro, said that while the government appreciates their position and does not condemn it, “what we can be sure about is that we will not let South Sudan go to war again.”

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Over the course of 2024, 20 African countries will be holding elections. For more election coverage, check out our Election Tracker.