By Emmanuel Mandella

The Commissioner of Yambio County, Mbiko Barakati, has called on the National Elections Commission (NEC) to urgently update the country’s census data, warning that outdated figures from 2010 risk disenfranchising thousands of citizens in the upcoming December 2026 general elections.

Speaking during the handover of the newly constructed Western Equatoria State High Elections Commission office in Yambio, the Commissioner stressed on the need for an accurate population count and revised geographical demarcation across the county.

“The population of Yambio County is now well above one million,” he said. “Just one Payam of Gangura has more than 160,000 people. What about the other five payams? If the NEC is going to use the previous census data, who will vote and who will be left out?”

Col. Barakati emphasized that Yambio County, which now hosts the state capital, is a hub of diversity that represents all 64 tribes of South Sudan. He said this reality must be reflected in the national voter register.

“Our county is ready for the elections, but we can’t go into an election with numbers that don’t reflect the population on the ground,” Barakati added.

Representing the National Elections Commission at the event, Mr. Mac Michael acknowledged the concerns raised and assured the public that preparations are underway to ensure a fair and credible process.

“We understand the concerns raised by Commissioner Mbiko. The Commission is working closely with partners to ensure that key processes such as the population census, voter registration, and constituency mapping are completed ahead of the 2026 polls,” Mac Michael said.

He added that the NEC has identified several priority tasks, including civic education, training of electoral staff, digital voter registration, and logistical deployment to hard-to-reach areas.

South Sudan is scheduled to hold its first general elections in December 2026. The polls are expected to usher in a new era of democratic governance after years of political transition.

However, international partners continue to raise concerns about the pace of implementation. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) have both called for accelerated action on critical benchmarks such as the permanent constitution, population census, among other key areas.

“Elections are not simply about voting. They are about legitimacy, inclusion, and stability,” said Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in a past briefing. “The urgency now is to complete the preparatory tasks to avoid delays.”

The African Union, IGAD, and Troika countries (USA, UK, and Norway) have also stressed on the importance of credible data for boundary delimitation and voter eligibility.

The new office handed over in Yambio is a project of the Community Organization for Peer Educator (COPE) in partnership with UNMISS under the Quick Impact Project. The facility is expected to enhance the operational capacity of the NEC at the state level as the country prepares for its historic vote.

COPE’s Executive Director, Mr. Kumbangako Gordon Basa, stated that more institutional support will be needed to ensure peaceful, inclusive, and transparent elections.

“This is more than just infrastructure. It is about restoring trust in the democratic process,” he said.