South Sudan’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Dr Wek Mamer, has tabled the National Elections Commission Act 2012 Amendment Bill 2026 before the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, proposing changes to the status of senior executive officials during the election period.
The bill, presented on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, proposes that the incumbent President remain in office with full constitutional powers until the elections are concluded.
The First Vice President and other Vice Presidents, however, would be relieved of their positions three months before polling day under the proposed amendments.
The bill has been referred to the Legislation Committee for scrutiny and further consideration before returning to the National Legislature for subsequent stages of debate.
The proposed legislation also sets out the size of South Sudan’s next elected parliament.
It proposes a 332-member National Legislative Assembly, which would take shape following the planned elections.
The proposed changes come as South Sudan prepares for national elections scheduled for 22 December 2026, a vote intended to mark the end of the country’s current transitional period.
South Sudan has been governed under a transitional arrangement since the signing of the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement, which was intended to end years of political and armed conflict.
The transitional period has been extended several times amid delays in implementing key provisions of the peace agreement, including security arrangements, constitutional reforms and preparations for elections.
The government has maintained that elections will take place in December 2026. The electoral process has also involved changes to the legal and institutional framework governing the polls.
The proposed amendment to the National Elections Commission Act comes as lawmakers consider how state institutions and senior officials would operate during the transition from the current transitional government to an elected administration.
The bill must go through further legislative scrutiny and approval before its proposed provisions can take effect.
The proposed changes to the executive come alongside other preparations for the December polls, including adjustments to electoral constituencies and the composition of the next legislature.
With less than four months before the scheduled elections, parliament is now considering legislation that could shape the structure of government during and immediately after the electoral period.
