Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The European Union (EU) co-funded AHEAD Africa consortium has said South Sudan must this year reform the laws, fund the institutions, engage the people, and commit to meaningful elections.
The initiative that aims at strengthening civil society’s role in safeguarding electoral integrity across Africa, expressed the sentiments in a strongly-worded press release Thursday.
“The continued delay of elections risks fuelling conflict and deepening exclusion. It further erodes trust in peace efforts, leaving them fragile and likely to collapse—this is the crossroads South Sudan faces today,” reads the press release.
The consortium said the cost of further delay is not just political stagnation, but the erosion of hope, violation of human and people rights.
It asserted that the South Sudanese people were ready for elections to bring their representatives to parliament who can champion their issues.
“From village assemblies to urban debates on social media platforms, there is a persistent demand for change—a government that serves, not dominates; leadership that is accountable, not entrenched,” asserted AHEAD Africa.
It regretted that the public will was repeatedly stifled by political elites whose primary concern remains self- preservation.
“The transitional government, originally tasked with delivering a constitution, unifying the army, conducting a census, and preparing credible elections, has not completed any of these mandates. Do political leaders deliberately create crises so people don’t go for elections, aiming to remain in power and avoid accountability?” posed AHEAD Africa.
Noting that the interim government has prolonged failure to deliver on its commitments was a crisis of political will— not capacity, AHEAD called on regional and international partners go beyond rhetoric and enforce meaningful accountability on the South Sudan leaders.
“The absence of a strong and independent judiciary and the prevalence of political repression lead to increased human rights violations. Currently, many South Sudanese lack access to justice, making it difficult to seek redress for grievances or rights violations,” noted the consortium.
It made five recommendations, including the convening of a national conference to bring together political leaders, civil society, and international observers to agree on a minimal reform agenda.
Its other recommendation is minimum constitution reform to enable elections without rushing the full process.
AHEAD Africa also wants the Electoral Commission’s independence strengthened and its composition reformed, to ensure gender balance, and secure adequate funding.
It also recommended the guaranteeing of security and civic space, including the arrangements and disbandment of the armed groups to create a conducive environment for elections.
Finally, AHEAD Africa recommended the transparent accountability framework to assign responsibilities, track progress, and hold leaders accountable through civil society and regional oversight. The consortium warned that without meaningful legal, institutional, and political reforms, the 2026 elections risked becoming another missed opportunity.
For More News And Analysis About South-Sudan Follow Africa-Press
