South Sudanese Catholic Bishop Presents Women’s Leadership as Alternative Ahead of First-Ever General Election

(Photo Credit: Holy Trinity Parish - Catholic Archdiocese of Juba)

Highlighting the Blessed Virgin Mary as an example of the care and protection he believes women can offer, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Juba Metropolitan See said, “This time, let us try women because they will care for us and hold us as our Blessed Mother Mary does.”

South Sudan’s long-awaited first general election, initially scheduled to take place before February 2023, was postponed for a second time on 13 September 2024, delaying the polls by two years to December 2026 and extending a transitional period that started in February 2020.  

The decision by the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) to extend the period marked the fourth postponement of the nation’s first post-independence election since the country gained independence in 2011.

In his statement while making the announcement for the new election date, NEC Chairman Prof. Abednego Akok Kacuol said the decision was arrived at in accordance with the country’s electoral laws and the provisions of the peace agreement guiding South Sudan’s political transition.

“The election will be conducted on December 22, 2026,” Prof. Kacuol announced from the NEC headquarters in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, adding that the announcement fulfills the legal requirement that the commission declare the election date at least six months before voting takes place.

The Commissioners, he said,  had been deliberating on the electoral process in line “with the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and the National Elections Act of 2012 as amended in 2023.”

Concerns have been raised over the country’s readiness for December polls, with Bishop Edward Hiiboro Kussala of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio (CDTY) warning the first-ever general election could be marred by guns on politicians' shoulders.

Speaking to ACI Africa on July 23, Bishop Hiiboro said some political leaders continue to command separate armed groups, raising fears that those who reject the election outcome could resort to violence rather than accept the results. 

The South Sudanese Catholic Church leader stated that he finds it disturbing that, just months before South Sudan's long-awaited general election, many political leaders continue to maintain their own armed groups.

“How do you go into an election with a gun hanging on your shoulder?” he posed, and added, “If you lose, will you not turn back to the gun?”

“The best thing is for these political leaders to reconcile among themselves. Only then can we confidently step into an election. We as the Church are ready to help in this process of reconciliation,” he said.

The office of the President on August 20 reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering a democratic process and polls, emphasizing that while the implementation of R-ARCSS is an important national undertaking, “it should not become a basis for perpetual transition.”

“South Sudan has made significant progress and must now move toward a democratic process that allows citizens to choose their leaders,” the Presidency said in a statement, adding, “Since the peace agreement was signed, South Sudan has undertaken political compromises, established transitional institutions and continued addressing outstanding provisions.” 

The Office of the President acknowledged that differences remain but said these should not prevent the country from moving forward, insisting that dialogue remains the appropriate way to address outstanding issues. 

According to the August 20 statement, “Where differences remain, dialogue should continue, not an assumption that no progress has been made. Peace means creating conditions for citizens to exercise their political rights and for legitimate elected authorities to govern.”

“This makes the planned elections essential to the people’s sovereign right to choose their representatives and determine the country’s direction,” the statement said, describing the December 22 poll as a key expression of the people’s right to participate in determining the future of their country.

Nicholas Waigwa is a Kenyan multimedia journalist and broadcast technician with a professional background in creating engaging news stories and broadcasting content across multiple media platforms. He is passionate about the media apostolate and Catholic Church communication.

Source: https://www.aciafrica.org/news/23761/south-sudanese-catholic-bishop-presents-womens-leadership-as-alternative-ahead-of-first-ever-general-election