Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut Presides the swearing-in of 9 NEC officials/Photo by PPU

The appointed officials of the National Election Commission were on Monday sworn-in with the institution citing conduct of civic education and voters’ registration as the first priorities amid election fever.

The nine electoral officials took oath this afternoon at an event Presided over by Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut and witnessed by President Salva Kiir.

Speaking after the oath-taking, electoral body chairperson Abednego Akok says the institution will soon engage the communities to be actively involved in the democratic processes.

This, according to him, shall be followed by registration of eligible voters

Afterward, Prof. Abdenego says, the commission will later discuss issues of geographical constituencies.

“Our priority now is to embark on civic education, to tell the message all over South Sudan [that] elections will be conducted.

“So, they [voters] must be told that this is their chance, after they are told this, we will come to the registration of 18 years and above anywhere they are in.

‘There is a technical part of it which will be discussed at the commission later on, the issue of the constituencies we will be discussed with the commissioners later, but our immediate task is to talk about civic education, said Prof. Akok.

According to Professor Abednego, the elections shall be conducted two months before the end of the transitional period as enshrined in the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

“If you read the peace agreement, the peace agreement says that two months before the end of the transitional period, elections will be conducted. That is, at the end of this year, by December elections will be conducted.

He however appealed to the unity government to improve security to ensure a conducive environment for the election process.

“One of the challenges is the security issue which the government must tackle very carefully to see to it that all routes are passable.”