South Sudan Parliament Moves to End Five Vice-President Posts Ahead of Elections
South Sudan’s parliament is considering a bill that would remove all five vice-presidential positions three months before the country’s scheduled general elections on December 22, 2026.
The proposed amendment to the National Elections Act was tabled before the Transitional National Legislative Assembly on September 16 by Justice Minister Wek Mamer Kuol. If passed, it would allow President Salva Kiir to remain in office with the powers provided under the constitution during the election period, while requiring the first vice president and the other four vice presidents to leave office three months before polling day.
The five vice-presidential positions were created under South Sudan’s 2018 peace agreement, which established a power-sharing transitional government following years of civil war.
The proposed changes would therefore alter the structure of the transitional executive ahead of the vote. The transitional government is currently expected to be dissolved around September 22, while the broader transitional period is due to expire in February 2027.
The bill also proposes a 332-member elected parliament, with 50% of seats allocated to geographical constituencies, 35% to women and 15% to party lists.
The legislation is still at the parliamentary consideration stage and must pass further stages before becoming law.
The proposal comes days after President Kiir replaced the chairperson of the National Elections Commission, Abednego Akok Kacuol, with the commission’s secretary-general, Gabriel Bol Deng Majok. No reason was publicly given for the change.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011 but has yet to hold a national election. The December 22 vote has been repeatedly delayed under the country’s transitional arrangements.
