(JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN) – At least five South Sudanese politicians have declared or expressed interest in contesting the presidency as the country prepares for general elections scheduled for 22nd December 2026.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit, 75, is the incumbent. He has led South Sudan since independence in 2011 and took over the southern regional government in 2005 after the death of SPLM founder John Garang. He has been endorsed by the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement as its presidential candidate for December.
Kornelio Kon Ngu
Kornelio Kon Ngu was the first opposition figure to formally enter the presidential race. He declared his candidacy in August 2026 under the National Alliance of Political Parties banner, according to Eye Radio and Radio Tamazuj.
Until the government’s dissolution, he served as third deputy speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly. He also chairs the National United Democratic Front.
His campaign centres on regional neglect. He argues that development in South Sudan remains concentrated almost entirely in Juba, comparing it to how services were once confined to Khartoum under the old Sudanese state.
Kon opposed President Kiir’s dissolution of the transitional government on 22nd September 2026. He called it a “coup d’état” and said a political agreement between parties had fixed the end of the transitional government for February 2027.
He criticised Kiir for appointing a caretaker administration without consulting political parties. He said political actors had agreed that appointments following the government’s dissolution would be made through consultations.
Kon questioned whether politically affiliated officials could oversee state institutions while ensuring a free and fair election. He dismissed the inter-party dialogue as “meaningless,” saying recent constitutional amendments had altered the political framework before the talks could take place.
He also questioned whether the National Elections Commission could organise a credible election within the remaining time, particularly as voter registration had yet to begin.
Tijwog Agwet
Tijwog Agwet, a reverend and former presidential adviser on religious affairs, announced on 22nd September 2026 that he would run as an independent, according to Radio Tamazuj and Eye Radio. That was the same day Kiir dissolved the transitional government.
It is not the first time Agwet has broken from Kiir’s camp. He resigned from the SPLM in 2013, saying its leadership was “leading us nowhere.” He has periodically re-emerged as one of the few former Kiir insiders willing to criticise the government he once served.
Agwet is also a founding member of the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition. He announced his departure from the group in July 2026, accusing it of nepotism and saying it had lost its direction and vision.
He told Radio Tamazuj that his priorities would be peace, unity and the delivery of public services. He described his platform as “what the people of South Sudan need.”
He criticised ethnic patronage in government institutions. He said appointments to ministerial offices should not be based on ethnic affiliation.
Agwet acknowledged challenges facing the electoral process, including limited civic space and outstanding provisions of the 2018 peace agreement. But he argued those concerns should not be used to justify extending the transitional period.
“If we reject elections because our country is not ready, because there is no civic space and unmet provisions of the 2018 agreement, then we are giving the incumbent an opportunity to continue to drive our country to hell,” Agwet said.
Issa Muzamil Sebit Makelele
Issa Muzamil Sebit Makelele, a prominent lawyer and former chairperson of the South Sudan Bar Association, was endorsed as the National Patriotic Movement’s presidential candidate on 23rd September 2026, according to Radio Tamazuj and One Citizen Daily Newspaper.
NPM Secretary-General Gatkouth Biel announced the decision at a press conference in Juba. He said the party’s governing council had endorsed Muzamil to contest the presidency.
Muzamil welcomed the dissolution of the transitional government as a necessary step towards elections. But he criticised the composition of the caretaker administration, saying most officials appointed were from the ruling SPLM and that registered political parties had not been consulted.
He called on President Kiir to ensure caretaker officials remain neutral and fair in carrying out their duties. He also warned against the use of public resources for political campaigns.
The NPM did not sign the 2018 peace agreement and has pushed to be included in ongoing interparty dialogue. Muzamil said the party would fight for democratic changes in South Sudan beyond the December election.
Peter Mayen Majongdit
Peter Mayen Majongdit leads the People’s Liberal Party. He is a familiar face in the country’s opposition politics.
He is a former minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. He was fired by Kiir in November 2022 amid a hunger and flooding crisis.
Mayen first declared a presidential bid in 2023 for elections then scheduled for 2024. That was one of several dates the vote has since missed. He has accused both wings of the SPLM, Kiir’s and Machar’s, of dishonesty.
Mayen has since withdrawn from the race after accepting appointment as Caretaker Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. President Kiir’s order establishing the caretaker administration bars caretaker officials from contesting elective positions in the upcoming elections.
Mayen cited recent family losses as another reason for stepping aside. He said he was not emotionally prepared to enter another presidential contest, but said he could contest in future elections.
The National Elections Commission has not published a final list of candidates. There is no official confirmation of the five as presidential candidates, according to The Radio Community.
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