South Sudan’s National Elections Commission (NEC) has postponed the country’s long-awaited general elections to February 11, 2027, revising the electoral timetable and extending the preparations for the polls.
According to the revised electoral calendar released by the commission, the changes affect several key stages of the electoral process, including voter registration, nomination of candidates, election campaigns, polling and the announcement of results.
The new date replaces the previously scheduled December 22, 2026, polling date, marking another adjustment to the country’s election preparations.
The revision comes as the commission continues preparations for the country’s first general elections since independence in 2011, with the electoral process involving the establishment of election structures, voter registration and preparations for candidates and political parties to participate.
In a public notice issued on November 13, NEC Chairperson Gabriel Bol Deng announced the commencement of voter registration, giving eligible South Sudanese citizens 14 days to register ahead of the elections.
The registration exercise was expected to provide the foundation for compiling the voters’ register before subsequent electoral activities could proceed.
South Sudan’s elections have faced repeated delays since the end of the 2018 revitalised peace agreement’s original transitional period, with political disagreements, security concerns and delays in implementing key provisions of the peace deal affecting preparations.
The latest revision places February 11, 2027, as the new polling date, although the successful conduct of the elections will depend on the implementation of the revised electoral calendar and the completion of outstanding preparations.
Standard Zone News will continue to follow developments surrounding the revised electoral timetable and South Sudan’s election preparations.
