Africa-Press. The Parliament of South Sudan has approved constitutional amendments that remove legal obstacles to conducting general elections scheduled for December 22. This was reported by a local source, citing the parliament spokesperson, Oliver Muri Benjamin.
The parliamentary meeting was held on September 1 behind closed doors, without the presence of journalists or the public. It was noted that the amendments no longer require a population census or a new constitution for the elections, after these conditions were previously considered mandatory for voting. Benjamin added, “This paves the way for conducting the elections and removes all obstacles that have prevented their execution.”
Parliament members unanimously approved the amendments. The president is now expected to sign the bill within 30 days, allowing elections to take place at the end of December.
In August, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in South Sudan, Wek Mamer Kol, presented a bill to the parliament to amend the electoral law.
At the end of June, the National Election Commission in South Sudan set December 22 as the date for the first general elections since the end of the civil war in the country and the formation of a coalition government in 2020.
On Wednesday, the President of South Sudan approved constitutional amendments that eliminate the requirement for a permanent constitution and a national population census before the elections scheduled for December.
The president’s office stated that the amendment separates the conduct of national elections from the completion of the permanent constitution and the national population census, both of which were stipulated in the 2018 peace agreement as essential conditions for conducting elections.
In turn, the African Union urged member states, international partners, and donors to help bridge the funding gap needed for the elections in South Sudan, setting October as the final deadline for making tangible contributions to the African Union Commission.
This call comes at a time when the National Election Commission in South Sudan estimates that conducting the elections will require approximately $250 million, while the government has so far provided about $27 million.
Initially, the government allocated $21 million for election preparations, later providing an additional $6 million for civic awareness and voter education. However, the African Union’s call for donor support comes amid a different stance from Washington.
The United States stated on August 31 that if South Sudan proceeds with the elections, they must be conducted peacefully and funded from public state resources.
In a statement issued on August 26 and published on Wednesday, the African Union Peace and Security Council expressed concern over the “significant lack of funding and management” faced by electoral bodies in the country.
The council called on the transitional government to provide sustainable and urgent local funding for the National Election Commission, the National Constitutional Review Commission, and the Political Parties Council.
It also called for the publication of a “realistic and consensual electoral roadmap” and urged African Union member states and international partners capable of doing so to fill the election funding gap by making tangible contributions to the African Union Commission by October.
