Expert urges Kiir to choose Machar as running mate

JUBA – A prominent South Sudanese political expert has recommended that President Salva Kiir Mayardit select his first deputy and leader of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), Riek Machar, as his running mate in the December 2026 general election.

In an interview with Sudans Post on Thursday, Professor Abraham Kuol Nyuon, a political science professor and principal of the Graduate College at the University of Juba, stated that the elections could only proceed if Dr. Machar is President Kiir’s running mate and a member of the SPLM.

“The only possibility we can hold an election is only one. That is only when Kiir and Riek Machar become running mates and become members of the SPLM,” Kuol said.

He argued that without this arrangement, the elections might not occur, explaining that both President Kiir and FVP Machar are unlikely to trust the results if they compete separately.

“Therefore, I could see that the election can be done. But as long as Riek Machar is outside the SPLM, there will be no possibility of election because we know that Riek will never believe in the outcome of the results and Kirr will not believe in the outcome of the result,” he said.

The political science professor also warned of potential violence if the two leaders proceed to elections in opposition to each other.

“So, this one will already show that if we go for election and they are opposing each other, then we should be prepared for another violence. So, this is what I was able to say,” he said.

He called on political leaders to reach a consensus to prevent further election delays.

“What could be done to avoid another delay of election is one, we should have a political consensus among the political leaders that we had fought for this country, we have liberated the country, we have got independence for the country, and now our people are suffering now,” he said.

No election has been held in South Sudan since it gained independence in 2011. The last vote occurred in 2010, when the region was still part of Sudan. In that election, Machar ran as Kiir’s running mate, with the two leaders serving as deputy chairman and chairman, respectively.

Their alliance unraveled in December 2013 due to disagreements over party leadership ahead of elections initially planned for 2015.

A reunification agreement signed in 2015 in Arusha aimed to reconcile SPLM factions but saw limited implementation. Only the SPLM-FDs, a group of senior SPLM leaders detained in 2013 on accusations of plotting a coup, rejoined the party under the agreement.

In September 2024, the Presidency once again postponed the long-delayed elections, setting December 2026 as the target, citing unpreparedness. The transitional period was extended to February 2026, with elections expected to follow.

The Presidency highlighted the need to complete critical steps, including a population census, drafting a permanent constitution, and registering political parties, explaining that the extension would allow these preparations to be finalized ahead of the new election date on December 22, 2026.