At Presidential palace, where President Salva Kiir has signed into law the National Elections Act, 2012, Amendment Bill, 2026, clearing the legal path for South Sudan’s general elections scheduled for December this year. The President assented to the legislation on Monday, September 21, after being endorsed by the National Legislative Assembly. Speaking during the signing ceremony, Minister of Presidential Affairs, Africano Mande Gedima says the amendment harmonises inconsistencies in the existing electoral law and aligns it with the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, 2011, as amended. The amended law also operationalises the “delink” principle, separating the conduct of national elections from the permanent constitution-making process and the national census. It empowers the National Elections Commission to organise elections at all levels of government, with the stated aim of ensuring democratic, peaceful and fair polls. Under the new law, the incumbent executive leadership will remain in office with full constitutional powers throughout the election period, until the next elected President assumes office. The amendment further gives the President powers, within three months before the election date, to relieve the First Vice President and Vice Presidents in accordance with Article 104, Sub-Article 2 of the Transitional Constitution. The amended legislation sets the membership of the National Legislative Assembly at 270, while each state legislative assembly will have 58 members. It also provides for 20 councillors for each Administrative Area Council, establishing the composition of legislative and local government bodies ahead of the December 2026 general elections.
