Kon rejects Kiir’s caretaker appointments, calls for consultation

South Sudanese presidential aspirant Kornelio Kon Ngu has criticised President Salva Kiir’s appointment of a caretaker administration, saying political parties should have been consulted before the appointments were made.

Kon said on Wednesday that an earlier agreement called for consultations with political parties following the dissolution of the transitional government.

“We had previously agreed that after the government is dissolved, any appointment will be made through consultation. But this has not happened,” he told a news conference in the capital, Juba.

President Kiir dissolved the Transitional Government of National Unity on Tuesday and appointed caretaker ministers and state governors as the country prepares for elections scheduled for 22 December 2026.

Under the presidential order, caretaker officials are required to remain politically neutral and are barred from using public office, government resources or state institutions to promote or disadvantage political parties or candidates.

Kon questioned whether officials with political affiliations should oversee state institutions during an election in which political parties and candidates will compete for power.

“How is it possible that the elections are free and fair?” he asked.

He called on President Kiir to consult political parties and appoint people who are not politically affiliated but have the capacity to manage government institutions and support preparations for the elections.

“We believe that the president should consult with other people, to bring people who are not politically affiliated, but have the ability, to organise the elections,” he said.

Kon said the caretaker administration should have a limited mandate focused on maintaining essential government functions and supporting preparations for the elections.

The National Elections Commission is responsible for administering the elections, including voter registration and other electoral preparations. The amended elections law also gives the commission responsibility for organising elections at all levels of government.

Kon also criticised the inter-party dialogue scheduled to take place in Juba on Thursday, arguing that recent constitutional amendments had changed the political framework ahead of the elections.

His criticism comes as South Sudan enters the final three months before the scheduled vote. The country has repeatedly postponed elections since gaining independence in 2011.

Kon, a former third deputy speaker of parliament, has previously said he intends to challenge President Kiir in the presidential election.

He leads the opposition National United Democratic Front (NUDF) and a faction of the National Alliance of Political Parties.

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