BOR—South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has warned aspirants against political violence as party primary elections begin in Jonglei State, saying anyone who instigates violence will face consequences.
Speaking during the launch of the party’s state congresses and primaries, Josephine Napwon Cosmas, a member of the SPLM Political Bureau and chair of the High-Level Committee for Congresses and Primary Elections, urged candidates to accept defeat and support those who win.
Napwon assured that the committee is an independent body appointed to oversee the process and eliminate potential conflicts of interest, pledging to deliver transparent, fair, and peaceful party primaries.
She further explained that committee members were intentionally selected from outside Jonglei State to guarantee impartiality and prevent allegations of bias.
“This committee you see here is a neutral body. They are not from Jonglei State,” Napwon said. “It is not by coincidence, but organized in that manner so no one can take the blame.”
Napwon announced that the neutral committee will temporarily assume management of the party’s administrative structures in Jonglei to oversee both congresses and primaries.
“If you fail the election, you will know that it was transparent, fair, and free without any discrimination—and that is the core value of this committee. We are going to conduct this election fairly,” Napwon said. “We need these primary elections to be very fair, transparent, and very peaceful, and I want to say this very clearly.”
She urged candidates to show sportsmanship and accept defeat graciously if they lose, warning that security measures have been put in place and that anyone instigating political violence will face severe consequences.
“In these elections, we don’t need violence. Anybody who causes violence in this election will face consequences,” Napwon warned. “Because if you are defeated, you have to accept defeat and embrace your brother or sister who has won against you.”
Napwon also encouraged young party members to seize leadership opportunities during the exercise, describing youth participation as essential for building a stronger future for South Sudan.
“We say let’s give a chance to the young people because the young people are the founders, the young people are everything, and young people should start coming up now so that we have a better future in the Republic of South Sudan,” she said.
The launch of the Jonglei State primaries is part of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) internal preparations for the upcoming general elections scheduled for December 22, 2026.
The party congresses and primary elections will select official nominees for state governorships, national and state legislative assemblies, and local administrative posts.
While President Salva Kiir Mayardit has already been endorsed as the party’s sole presidential flagbearer, competition for legislative and sub-national positions remains intense among party cadres.
The party high command has also urged all aspirants to accept primary outcomes and warned members against running as independent candidates in December if they fail to secure the official party nomination.