South Sudan’s Parliament has passed amendments to the Elections Act and President Salva Kiir signed the legislation into law on the same day, in a rapid sequence that has drawn attention as lawmakers also await new vehicles under a government-backed car loan arrangement.
The National Elections Act, 2012 (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was passed by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly on Monday, September 21, after lawmakers had been reviewing the legislation since Friday.
President Kiir signed the bill into law hours after it was passed, just one day before September 22, the start of the final three months before the country’s scheduled December 22 elections.
Parliamentary spokesperson Oliver Mori Benjamin said lawmakers had completed their responsibility by passing the legislation and sending it to the President for assent.
The amended law gives the incumbent President powers to remain in office and exercise constitutional authority throughout the election period until an elected president assumes office.
It also provides for the First Vice President and other vice presidents to leave office within three months before the election date.
The legislation also separates the elections from the permanent constitution-making process and the national population and housing census, allowing preparations for the December polls to proceed without waiting for those processes.
The speed of the parliamentary process has become a notable feature of the legislation’s passage.
Lawmakers had worked on the bill over the weekend before returning to Parliament on Monday for further consideration and passage.
The final debate also included discussion over the size of the next National Legislative Assembly.
Mori said 12 lawmakers participated in the third reading, with seven supporting a 270-member parliament and five supporting 332 members. The 270-member option was carried as an amendment, according to Mori.
But it was at the end of the parliamentary sitting that Mori announced another development concerning lawmakers the purchase of new vehicles.
Mori said the Speaker informed the House that President Kiir had earlier given approval for vehicles to be purchased for members of Parliament, while the Minister of Finance had issued a non-objection certificate for the purchase.
“At the end of the sitting, the Rt. Hon. Speaker made an announcement that President has earlier given the green light for vehicles to be purchased to the members of Parliament, and today, the Minister of Finance has given non-objection certificate for vehicles to leadership,” Mori said.
He said the vehicles would be distributed according to parliamentary positions, with the leadership and committee chairpersons receiving V6 vehicles, while other lawmakers would receive Toyota five-door vehicles.
“The leadership will get V6 vehicles, the chairs of committees and so on. The rest of the MPs will get Toyota five doors, including even the chairperson,” Mori said.
Mori described the arrangement as car loans for members rather than a direct vehicle giveaway.
“And this is considered as car loans for members,” he said.
The announcement came on the same day Parliament passed the Elections Amendment Bill, although there is no evidence in the parliamentary statements cited that the vehicle arrangement was offered in exchange for lawmakers’ support for the legislation.
The amended Elections Act is now in force, providing the legal framework for elections scheduled for December 22, 2026.
The legislation was introduced by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Wek Mamer Kuol on September 16 and was subsequently considered by Parliament before the final vote on September 21.
The President’s assent means the law took effect as the country entered the final three-month period before the scheduled elections.
The rapid passage and signing of the law, alongside the announcement of vehicle financing for lawmakers, is likely to keep Parliament at the centre of public discussion as South Sudan moves towards the December polls.
