South Sudan President Dissolves Government Ahead of Historic First Elections
Juba, 23 September 2026
President Salva Kiir has dissolved South Sudan’s transitional government to prepare for the nation’s first-ever democratic elections, amid severe funding shortages and heightened security in Juba.
A Sudden Dissolution Amid High Security
On Monday, 21 September 2026, President Salva Kiir officially dissolved South Sudan’s transitional unity government, including the national parliament, state governments, and all five vice-presidents, by signing an amended law [1][2]. The sweeping political shake-up triggered immediate security measures in the capital city of Juba [1][2]. By Tuesday, 22 September 2026, heavily armed soldiers from the national army and security services had established a visible presence, patrolling the streets and blocking access to government ministries [1][2]. The sudden lockdown forced civil servants to turn back and prompted United Nations agencies operating in the capital to instruct their staff to work remotely while they monitored the evolving situation [1][2].
Financial Deficits and Institutional Shake-ups
The path to the scheduled 22 December 2026 polls is severely hampered by a critical lack of funding [1][2]. In August 2026, the former chairman of the National Elections Commission, Abednego Akok Kacuol, revealed that the body required $250 million to successfully organise and conduct the national elections [1][2]. However, the commission had received only $21 million of that allocation [1][2], representing just 8.4% of the necessary budget. Shortly after highlighting this massive deficit, Akok was dismissed from his post by President Kiir on 15 September 2026 without any official reason and was replaced by the commission’s secretary-general, Gabriel Bol Deng [1][2].
Opposition Boycott and Security Implications for Refugees
Political friction has further darkened the outlook for a peaceful democratic transition. Riek Machar, the primary opposition leader who was appointed vice-president under a 2018 peace agreement to end a five-year civil war, was stripped of his post last year, charged with treason, and placed under house arrest [2]. In June 2026, Machar’s party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), issued a stark warning against conducting election preparations in their strongholds [1][2]. Nathaniel Pierino, the acting chairperson of the SPLM-IO, declared on social media that anyone attempting to register voters or campaign within territories controlled by the group would be treated as a “prisoner of war” [1][2].