Professor Abednego Akok, the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission - Credit | Lou Nelson/Eye Radio | Feb. 17, 2022

National Election Commission (NEC) said its commissioners started travelling to the ten states and administrative areas on Monday to inspect its offices in preparation for the anticipated December 2024 polls.

NEC Spokesperson George Lemi said the visits kicked off with a delegation led Professor Abednego Akok, that departed to Eastern Equatoria State from Juba International Airport.

Lemi said the trips will see the commissioners inspect the staffing and properties of the state high election committees – after which a report will be compiled to enable the reconstitution of the state branches.

He said the officials were only waiting for torrential rain that hit Juba on Monday morning to subside before embarking on their journey.

“The commissioners are all at the moment at the airport travelling to the states but unfortunately the weather is bit not okay because of the rain,” he said in an interview with Eye Radio.

According to him, one of the flights that was destined for Kuajok of Warrap State, has been cancelled and rescheduled to Tuesday over the bad weather condition.

“There are others going to Jonglei and others to Western Equatoria headed by the chairperson Prof. Abendgo Akok.”

Mr. Lemi already told journalist in Juba on Friday that the democratic exercise is going ahead as planned, although peace parties are yet to reach consensus on the issue.

He further said the commission is developing its website after obtaining a domain name NEC.GOV.SS from the National Communication Authority in January.

He told Eye Radio that upon arrival, the commissioners will meet with the state governors, parliamentarians, political parties, civil society and youths among others.

“Some of the activities will be meeting with the governors of the states, Speakers of the parliament, Political parties, civil society, youths in the states and checking of the station of the state high committee structures and staffing.”

The National Election Commission (NEC) is set to kick-start voter registration in June.

The move comes after the commission announced receiving 22 billion South Sudan pounds from the unity government to carry out its pre-election tasks.

The divided peace parties were expected to convene a political dialogue starting on Friday to reach common ground on the contentious election topic.

But no tangible result came out of the first day of the meeting, although a joint press conference was held to assure the country that an agreement will eventually be reached on when and how to hold elections.

The SPLM party under President Kiir, along with several opposition alliances including SSOA and OPP, have okayed the conduct of polls in December 2024.

But the SPLM-IO under First Vice President Dr Riek Machar maintains that the country cannot hold credible elections if key prerequisites such as security arrangements have not been implemented.