JUBA – South Sudan’s National Elections Commission (NEC) has announced that it will begin voter registration on November 14 ahead of the planned December 22 general elections, amid concerns from regional and international partners over the country’s preparations for the polls.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, commission chairperson Gabriel Bol Deng said the exercise would run until November 28 at 3,161 registration centres across the country’s 10 states and three administrative areas.
He said the commission had recruited 22,127 registration officials and that materials and equipment had reached state and administrative-area capitals but were yet to be delivered to individual registration centres.
“We have 22,127 registration officials. They are ready on the ground, the materials are there. They have not reached the registration centres, but in the next two days we have already mapped out the logistics,” Deng said.
He urged eligible citizens to register and said they would need to present a national identity card, passport or other acceptable proof of identity and age. Those without formal documents could be identified by traditional leaders using identification forms.
“All eligible South Sudanese citizens are encouraged to participate in the exercise and demonstrate their democratic right to register and vote,” he said.
Deng said the commission had consolidated the electoral law and adopted regulations to guide the process, including rules on media accreditation and conduct. He said civic and voter education would continue throughout the exercise.
“We have a clear law that has already paved the way forward. Number three is civics and voter education. So throughout, we will be doing civics and voter education,” he said.
Regional and international partners have raised concerns about funding shortages, limited technical capacity, political divisions and delays in implementing the 2018 peace agreement. They have called for inclusive participation and adequate preparations to ensure credible elections.
The December 22 polls would be South Sudan’s first national elections since independence in 2011. They have been repeatedly postponed during the transitional period.
