South Sudan

On 22 September Kiir dissolved the transitional government, removing his vice-presidents, the national legislature, the 10 state governments and their assemblies. He did this hours after signing election-law amendments that drop the requirement for a permanent constitution and a census before the vote. The current executive keeps full powers until a new president takes office, voter registration had not started, and later reporting says the new caretaker ministers are almost all loyalists. Agreements made with ministries or state authorities now carry more risk of being reversed or left without a counterpart.

The Sudan Times · 2026-09-22

On 20 August the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned that armed conflict has resumed in several parts of the country and that elections without basic safeguards could lead to renewed conflict and atrocity crimes. The government's own assessment shows 46.4% of the 2018 peace agreement still unimplemented, and the unification of armed forces is incomplete. Entrants should expect security conditions around the vote to get worse, not better, and plan staff safety, logistics and continuity accordingly.

OHCHR · 2026-08-20

Opposition leader Riek Machar remains on trial in a Juba special court for treason, murder and other charges linked to the March 2025 fighting in Nasir. At the trial's 120th session on 7 October he called the proceedings political. His detention and possible exclusion from the vote are the main source of opposition grievance, so the trial's outcome is a key trigger for unrest.

Radio Tamazuj · 2026-10-07