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South Sudan has postponed its first national elections from December 22 to February 11, 2027, as escalating political and ethnic tensions continue to raise concerns over security in the world’s youngest country.
The electoral commission announced the revised date on Saturday, the same day voter registration was scheduled to begin at more than 3,100 centres across the country.
According to the new electoral calendar published on social media, voting will take place on February 11, with results expected to be announced four days later.
Commission Secretary-General Ahon Malou Lueth confirmed the postponement to AFP but did not provide a reason or further details.
The elections, which include presidential and legislative contests, have been delayed several times. The United Nations has warned that holding the vote under the current security conditions could trigger widespread violence.
Tensions have intensified between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and supporters of detained former Vice-President Riek Machar, with deadly confrontations reported in recent months.
Machar has been under house arrest since March 2025 after being accused of crimes against humanity. His detention has added to political uncertainty in a country also grappling with ethnic tensions and cattle-rustling conflicts.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, but a power struggle between Kiir and Machar plunged the country into civil war in 2013. The conflict, which lasted until 2018, killed at least 400,000 people.
Preparations for the postponed election have also faced logistical challenges. Although more than 3,100 voter registration centres had been established, officials said not all the required equipment had arrived.
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has repeatedly raised concerns about deteriorating conditions, including the displacement of tens of thousands of people, deadly fighting and disruptions to humanitarian operations.
The commission has warned that recent tensions have heightened “the risk of renewed conflict and atrocity crimes”. In October, it also cautioned that holding an election under the prevailing conditions could trigger renewed conflict.
