JUBA—South Sudan’s Political Parties Council (PPC) has cleared four pre-election political coalitions comprising 25 political parties to participate in the country’s scheduled December 22, 2026, general elections.
PPC chairperson James Akol Zakayo said the four coalitions had met the regulatory requirements and statutory criteria for inclusion in the council’s official register.
The coalitions are the National Agenda Coalition of Political Parties (NAC), Coalition of National Alliance of Political Parties (CNA), South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SAWA) and National Alliance of Political Parties (NAPPP).
The announcement made on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, came a day before the October 22 deadline for registering coalitions seeking to participate in the elections.
Akol urged the leadership of the 25 constituent parties to finalise outstanding internal documentation, secure the necessary signatures, and complete legal deposits with the registry department before the deadline.
Under the PPC Act, political coalitions intending to participate in the December elections must register at least 60 days before polling.
The National Agenda Coalition of Political Parties is the largest of the four alliances, comprising 10 registered parties. The Coalition of National Alliance of Political Parties has six members, while SAWA comprises five parties and NAPPP has four.
Akol said registration of political parties remained open, but those seeking to participate in the upcoming elections must meet the specific legal requirements and deadlines.
The registered political alliances can now start internal preparations to contest the December 22 general elections, which are intended to end the country’s prolonged transitional period.
However, recently, disputes over party registration and leadership have raised concerns about the process.
In late September, the National Democratic Movement (NDM), South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) and Federal Democratic Party (FDP) accused the Political Parties Council (PPC) of altering their registered leadership details without their consent.
NDM leader Lam Akol Ajawin and SSNMC leader Moro Isaac Genesio said the changes could affect their parties’ ability to contest the elections under their recognised leadership structures.
A faction of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) later defended the registration of seven political parties, saying they had met the legal requirements after their leaders relinquished military command.
The PPC says it is mandated to resolve disputes within and between political parties and coalitions, but it has not received a formal complaint from aggrieved political parties.
Akol said unresolved disputes would be referred to court, with the Supreme Court’s decision serving as final.
South Sudan is scheduled to hold general elections on December 22, 2026, following years of delays under the transitional government.
The vote would be the country’s first since independence in 2011. Elections have been repeatedly postponed during the transitional period established under the 2018 peace agreement.
In September, President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional government and appointed a caretaker administration ahead of the planned elections.