Rt. Rev. Dr. Zachariah Manyok, Chairman of the Strategy Committee at the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) - File Photo

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — A religious leader is calling for an urgent, home-grown peace process to restore the dignity of the South Sudanese people, stating that the current peace deal has yet to deliver tangible benefits to ordinary citizens.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s Dawn show on Thursday, October 30, Rt. Rev. Dr Zachariah Manyok, Chairman of the Strategy Committee at the South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC), noted that the current internal climate suggests little hope for the successful conduct of the upcoming elections.

He expressed serious doubt about the successful conduct of South Sudan’s national elections scheduled for December 2026, warning that holding the polls without first completing critical peace agreement commitments could trigger renewed conflict.

Dr. Manyok stressed that true peace must benefit the people, not just serve political timelines, expressing skepticism over the current political landscape and the stalled peace processes.

“The way we look at things inside South Sudan here, there seems to be no hope for elections even,” Dr Manyok said.

“We fear that elections may come, and they may lead to fighting also. We want people to understand peace differently, not peace for election, not peace for political power sharing, but peace for the people.”

Dr. Manyok also questioned the effectiveness of the adjourned Tumaini peace initiative. He confirmed that after the SSCC consulted with lead mediator Gen. Lazarus Sumbeiywo in Kenya, “it appears there that there is no hope for Tumaini.”

He emphasized the urgent need for a home-grown process to restore the dignity of the South Sudanese people, cautioning against political maneuvers that adjust the rules for personal gain.