By Chuol Chanyong

The Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, has called on fellow civil society actors and faith-based organizations to rally behind the National Elections Commission (NEC) to ensure peaceful and credible elections in South Sudan.

“My brothers and sisters in civil society, we are the stakeholders. If we truly want peaceful and credible elections, then we are the ones who must stand behind the National Elections Commission,” he said.

“We must be the ones to voice what we believe the Commission needs to deliver effectively.”

He was speaking at the opening of the two-day roundtable dialogue between civil society and the National Elections Commission held in Juba on Tuesday.

Yakani challenged the fellow activists not only to keep questioning the role of the commission, but rather direct their questions to those responsible for empowering the Commission to carry out its mandate.”

He urged participants to engage actively with the Commission to develop a unified message in support of a credible electoral process.

According to Yakani, elections are inherently political and require political will and support.

“As an activist, and as one of you, I firmly believe that the only viable path for our country to move from violence to peace is through the electoral process.”

He added, “Elections are not just a one-day event; they are a process. They are not a game to be manipulated—they require compromise and a firm commitment to non-violence.”

The roundtable dialogue brought together representatives from civil society, the elections commission, and religious leaders to strengthen collaboration among electoral stakeholders and support the implementation of South Sudan’s electoral roadmap ahead of the general elections scheduled for December 2026.

The dialogue focuses on building shared understanding around electoral preparations, addressing legal and political challenges, and expanding the role of civil society in creating an enabling environment for elections.

Key agenda items include sessions on electoral updates, conflict management, advocacy strategies, and working groups tasked with drafting a joint action plan to support upcoming elections.

Various bodies and organizations have expressed their desire for democratic, peaceful elections in South Sudan.

Last year, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) urged political leaders to make critical political decisions and achieve key outstanding tasks in the peace deal to ensure the fourth extension of the transitional period is the last and that democracy is delivered. 

Briefing the UN Security Council, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, said the clock on the extension is already ticking.“The international community needs tangible evidence that this country’s leaders and political elite are genuinely committed to a democratic future.” he said.

UNMISS also assured that it is moving ahead with support to the National Elections Commission, including infrastructure, programmatic activities, and capacity building as well as driving initiatives to enhance the civic and political space alongside civil society organizations.

“This cannot be business as usual for the parties to the peace agreement, the political elite, the guarantors of the peace agreement or the international community,” said Mr. Haysom. “We must collectively seize the opportunity to make this extension the last and deliver the peace and democracy that the people of South Sudan deserve,” he added.