By Yiep Joseph & Louis Laku
The South Sudanese government has announced plans to establish a caretaker regime as stipulated in the peace agreement.
While addressing journalists on Tuesday, the Minister of Information, Communication, Technology, and Postal Services, Ateny Wek Ateny, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to holding elections.
He said the caretaker government will take effect in October as scheduled, as the country prepares for elections in December 2026.
“From October, the government should be by then care taking government that will lead people of South Sudan to [the] election,” Ateny said.
“Because it talks about 60 days prior to the end of transition, and the end of transition is in December 2026,” he explained.
Ateny said the country has about six months remaining to complete preparations for the caretaker arrangement.
“The article says it should be two months before the end; if it is two months before the end, then we are now remaining with less than six months to ensure the government becomes a caretaking government,” he said.
The minister further reaffirmed that there will be no further extension of the transition period, following the Council of Ministers’ approval of resolutions on the conduct of elections.
“As you are all aware, the country is going for a national election at the end of this year, which is 2026; no further extension,” he said.
Minister Ateny added that the government has already demonstrated its readiness and remains committed to ensuring that elections are held on time.
The Council of Ministers recently approved resolutions on the conduct of elections, including amendments to the 2018 revitalised peace agreement to align certain transitional arrangements with the electoral roadmap.
A caretaker government refers to a temporary governing arrangement that runs the country during a transition period while preparations for elections are completed.