President Salva Kiir meets NEC boss Abednego Akok. (-)

The National Elections Commission (NEC) chairperson has directed the state high committees whom he sworn in on Thursday to commence civic education and voter registration.

The 50 officials comprising the state committees including chairpersons, deputies and members were appointed in June by NEC chairperson Prof. Abednego Akok, amid complaints about the process of their appointment.

They took oath in Juba, in a ceremony administered by Chief Justice Chan Reech Madut.

Prof. Akok has tasked the electoral officials to prioritize civic education and voter registration as the country prepares for the December general elections.

“Today, they will be given short training courses which will enable them to have skills and knowledge in their elections management because they are the ones to conduct elections in their areas,” he said.

“Right now, they will return to their states to implement the act, starting with civic education and followed by voter registration. This gives them to identify voter registration centres in their States.”

“I repeat, one of your immediate tasks now is to identify from the Bomas until you reach the county levels, all the voting centres. Then the civic education is now starting.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), in a press statement on July 6, questioned the credibility of the National Elections Commission to conduct the upcoming elections.

SPLM-IO Deputy Chairperson Oyet Nathaniel accused Akok of unilaterally announcing members of the State High Committee before they were approved by the election commissioners.

A day before, Mr Akok announced December 22 as the date for elections, in a decision which he argued is in accordance with the National Election Commission Act 2012 Amendment Bill 2023, to determine and announce the date of elections at least 6 months before the polling day.

A recent survey suggested that the majority of the South Sudanese population favour the conduct of elections on time, although many expressed concerns about the potential for violence.

However, there have been growing doubts over the possibility of polling due to pending tasks in the 2018 peace agreement including hanging security arrangement, permanent constitution, registration of voters, political parties, and candidates, as well as the training of electoral officers and civic education.