Mustafa Chol, Chairman of the National Renaissance Party. Photo credit: NRP

An opposition party has called for an extension of the political party registration deadline, warning that many parties may struggle to meet the requirements within the limited timeframe set by the Political Parties Council.

The appeal comes after the Political Parties Council recently directed political parties to complete their registration process by the end of June, ahead of the planned December 2026 general elections.

Speaking to Eye Radio, NRP President Mustafa Chol said his party supports the conduct of elections in December and believes elections remain the most suitable means for a peaceful transfer of power.

“Despite the challenges, we support the initiative of having elections in December 2026. We need dialogue to address the obstacles and ensure the elections are fair, free and credible,” he said.

Chol revealed that the National Renaissance Party has already completed the first phase of registration and is currently registering members across the country as part of the second phase.

However, he expressed concern that parties starting the process from scratch may not be able to fulfill the requirements before the deadline.

“Frankly speaking, for a political party that has not started the process, it is not viable to fulfill all the requirements within these 30 days because the conditions are numerous. At least, the Political Parties Council should extend the registration period for more one month,” he said.

He urged political parties to engage the Political Parties Council and seek additional time to complete the process.

According to him, extending the deadline by at least one more month would provide a better opportunity for parties seeking to participate in the elections.

Mustafa also joined other political actors in criticizing the reported 75,000-dollar registration fee, describing it as too high given the country’s current economic situation.

He suggested a fee ranging between 5,000 and 10,000 dollars would be more affordable and encourage greater political participation, particularly for newly formed parties.

“Most new political parties would be encouraged to register and exercise their political rights if the amount is reduced. I suggest the viable amount that can be affordable ranges from $5,000 to $10,000,” he said.

Nevertheless, he argued that parties with genuine nationwide membership should be able to mobilize resources to meet registration requirements.

The Political Parties Council’s registration directive comes as preparations continue for the country’s first elections since independence, with the National Elections Commission expected to announce key electoral timelines later this month.

Chol concluded by urging political leaders and citizens to prioritize unity and work collectively toward peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in 2026.