South Sudan President Dissolves Transitional Government Ahead of Elections

South Sudan President Salva Kiir has dissolved the nation's transitional government, including his deputies and state administrations, in preparation for general elections scheduled for December 22. The announcement, made Tuesday night on state television, also dissolved the national legislature and state assemblies.

Kiir will remain president throughout the electoral period. A caretaker administration has been appointed to oversee key ministries, including foreign affairs, defense, finance, and petroleum. This dissolution is a step outlined in the roadmap for elections, intended to conclude the transitional period established by a 2018 peace agreement that ended a civil war.

The implementation of the peace agreement has faced multiple extensions. In recent actions that have concerned observers, Kiir dismissed the chairperson of the National Elections Commission on September 15 without providing a public reason. Last year, he suspended First Vice President Riek Machar, who is currently facing treason charges related to an alleged attack on government troops. Machar denies the charges, and his trial is ongoing. It remains unclear if Machar will be a candidate in the upcoming elections, as he is reportedly under house arrest.

Amnesty International acknowledged the dissolution as a significant move toward holding South Sudan's first elections but urged authorities to safeguard civic space and human rights during the electoral process. "The legitimacy of any election depends not only on whether it is held, but on whether people can exercise their rights freely, safely and equally," stated an Amnesty official. The organization called for guaranteed freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and an end to intimidation tactics against journalists, civil society members, and political opponents.

Policy analyst Abraham Awolich criticized the dissolution, arguing it violates the 2018 peace agreement by being enacted unilaterally without a new political settlement. He described the upcoming elections as a "smoke screen for the consolidation of a dictatorship and one-man rule" and warned that Kiir's decisions could lead to renewed conflict and political crises. Awolich advocated for an inclusive, internationally mediated national political dialogue involving all political forces, both within and outside the country, as well as civil society.

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan previously stated that elections held without adequate safeguards and inclusive dialogue could reignite conflict.