Jonglei SPLM Party secretariat dissolved ahead of new council membership

The ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Party has announced that the Jonglei State secretariat has been dissolved as the party holds a convention in Bor to elect new council members ahead of polls planned for 22 December.

The process for organizing and electing the party congress (council) will start Wednesday, with the conclusion of candidate nominations later today.

The SPLM Congresses Organizing Committee in Jonglei State is headed by Josephine Napwon Cosmas, who also serves as a member of the party’s political bureau and launched the nomination process for party candidates for the primaries in Bor.

Napwon affirmed that the nomination process will be conducted with full transparency and in accordance with the SPLM Basic Rules and Regulations, calling upon all party cadres wishing to contest to register and actively participate in selecting the party’s candidates, according to the SPLM National Secretariat.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, Joseph Ayok Dau, a senior party member and former member of the state secretariat and who also served in an advisory role in the ongoing congress, said they are progressing on party restructuring.

“As part of the restructuring process, Jonglei State has been divided into three zones: the southern zone comprising Bor, Akobo, and Twic East counties; the Jonglei North zone comprising Fangak, Pigi, and Ayod counties; and the eastern zone of Nyirol, Uror, and Duk counties,” he explained. “This zonal arrangement will make our work easy and help us finish in five days. Nomination for candidates for governors, commissioners, and MPs has been given 48 hours, and it wraps up this (Tuesday) evening.”

Ayok said the process of formation of congresses across bomas of the nine counties has started, and that each boma will contribute 11 congresses from registered members.

“Selection for payam and county congresses, as well as the state and national liberation council, will be from these grassroots processes,” he stated. “The liberation council at the state will take care of primaries, and those at the national level will endorse the president.”

The official reiterated the party’s readiness for the December polls and that they were committed to organizing the party.

Meanwhile, Bol Deng Bol, chairperson of Jonglei Civil Society Network and National Civil Society Coalition, said SPLM is preparing for the elections but warned that the political playground was not level.

“In preparation for the elections, the SPLM Party is even more visible than the National Election Commission. While it is their political right, what is concerning is that other parties are not visible,” he said. “Also, travel restrictions are a serious concern during elections, making it difficult for us to have the necessary environment.”

The activist warned that political restrictions and insecurity were indicators that tough times lay ahead and that election results may be contested and that it is a potential source of post-election violence.”

South Sudan is preparing for its first-ever national general election scheduled for December 22, 2026, amid a deepening political and constitutional crisis.

On September 22, 2026, President Salva Kiir Mayardit signed controversial amendments to the National Elections Act, 2012, and subsequently dissolved the transitional government of national unity, all five vice-presidents, the national and state assemblies, and local administrations.

The faction of the main opposition party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), announced it will not participate in or validate the vote, arguing the country has entered a constitutional crisis. Former First Vice President Riek Machar remains under house arrest facing treason and murder charges, and no prominent figures have announced plans to challenge President Kiir.

Human rights organizations and international monitors note that key conditions for a free and fair vote—such as a permanent constitution, a national population census, unified national security forces, and active voter registration—have been bypassed or left unfulfilled.

The National Elections Commission has reported needing $250 million to run the polls while facing severe funding shortfalls.

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