Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut - File Photo: Madrama James/Eye Radio

Chief Justice Chan Reech Madut said the Judiciary has started a specialized training for judges on election-related political disputes ahead of the country’s December 2024 elections.

Madut revealed that the Judiciary is partnering with Germany’s Max Planck Institute to deliver what he termed as a critical training.

He said the judges will undergo the program to ensure that they are well-prepared to manage and adjudicate any issues related to the electoral process.

“As the Judiciary, we have also started training judges on elections disputes, in collaboration with a German organization called Max Plank,” he said in Juba on Thursday.

“We are going to train these other 20 judges so that they know, in all the stations, they will be there. If there are any disputes relating to the elections, they will be there.”

The training will cover various aspects of electoral law and dispute resolution, aimed at enhancing the judges’ ability to manage complex cases related to the electoral process.

The Chief Justice highlighted that the program is a proactive measure to uphold the integrity of the electoral system and ensure a fair and transparent election.

On Thursday the National Elections Commission (NEC) chairperson, Prof. Abednego Akok sworn-in the state High Committees at a ceremony administered by Chief Justice Madut.

Prof. Akok directed the 50 personnel from the state committees including chairpersons, deputies and members to commence civic education and voter registration.

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.

On the other hand, there are doubts about the credibility of the process due to pending tasks in the 2018 peace accord.

These include pending security arrangement, permanent constitution, registration of voters, political parties, and candidates, as well as the training of electoral officers and civic education.