The ruling SPLM has warned its members against contesting as independent candidates in the December 22 general elections if they lose the party’s internal primaries and congresses.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Juba on Saturday, SPLM Secretary-General Akol Paul Kordit said party members must accept the outcomes of internal elections and support candidates selected to represent the ruling party.
“No member of the SPLM is allowed to contest as an independent candidate,” Kordit said.
He said aspirants would be required to sign a loyalty pledge before participating in primaries and congresses, committing themselves to respect the results of the internal selection process.
Kordit warned that members who defied the party’s rules could face disciplinary action under its code of conduct and internal regulations.
He said the party wants to avoid a repeat of the divisions associated with the 2010 elections, stressing that candidates who lost internal contests must support those selected by the party.
Meanwhile, Kordit disclosed that the party had collected 2.544 billion South Sudanese pounds (SSP) in nomination fees from aspirants seeking to contest various positions in the upcoming elections.
He said each aspirant paid 3 million SSP to obtain nomination forms, adding that the funds would help finance the party’s internal primaries and congresses.
“This money will be used to facilitate the process of primaries and congresses,” Kordit said, describing the funds as contributions from party members that required transparent management.
According to Kordit, the SPLM received 848 nomination applications between October 5 and 9. The applicants included 133 gubernatorial aspirants, 23 chief administrator aspirants, 417 constituency candidates, 114 party-list candidates and 161 women-list candidates.
The secretary-general said submitting nomination forms and paying the required fees do not automatically guarantee a place on the party’s final candidate list.
He added that aspirants would undergo screening to determine whether they met the party’s eligibility criteria before proceeding to primaries and congresses.
Kordit said the SPLM had deployed high-level committees to several states to continue the nomination process and prepare for the internal elections.
The SPLM appears to be the most visibly active political party in preparations for the December elections, having begun internal candidate nominations and held political rallies. Other parties have not demonstrated a comparable level of publicly visible activity in candidate selection.
South Sudan is scheduled to hold general elections on December 22, 2026, amid uncertainty over whether conditions are in place for credible and inclusive polls. The preparations come as President Salva Kiir has introduced prior travel approval requirements for serving and former officials.
The post SPLM warns dissenters as election candidate selection begins appeared first on Radio Tamazuj.