By Alan Clement
President Salva Kiir Mayardit has ordered an extension of the current parliamentary session, citing urgent national matters.
Among the matters at hand are budget pressures, electoral preparations, and proposed changes to the peace agreement.
According to the Presidency, the directive was issued during a meeting between President Kiir and the leadership of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) and the Council of States, according to officials familiar with the discussion.
The meeting brought together Speaker of the National Assembly Jemma Nunu Kumba and Speaker of the Council of States Mary Ayen Mijok.
Speaking to journalists the meeting, Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly Jemma Nunu Kumba confirmed that lawmakers would proceed with a brief Christmas recess but are scheduled to resume sittings on January 5, 2026, under the extended session.
The extension follows weeks of uncertainty over Parliament’s recess calendar.
During the 23rd Ordinary Sitting of the TNLA on December 16, 2025, Speaker Nunu informed legislators that the Assembly was technically due for recess but had not received a formal directive from the President, effectively keeping Parliament on standby.
The latest order underscores the executive’s insistence that critical national priorities be resolved before lawmakers disperse.
The timing and urgency the Presidential directive come amid heightened political activity as several critical national developments converge.
On December 22, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) formally declared constituencies for the upcoming national elections, a key procedural step in the electoral roadmap.
The announcement raised expectations that Parliament would be required to address outstanding legal and institutional frameworks necessary to support the electoral process.
Just days earlier, on December 17, the Presidency convened an expanded special session chaired by Kiir, bringing together senior government leaders and political parties.
The meeting proposed amendments to the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement, acknowledging that certain provisions of the deal have created structural obstacles that continue to delay election preparations.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, the Presidency concluded that adjustments to the peace agreement were necessary to unlock bottlenecks affecting security arrangements, institutional reforms, and the organization of credible elections.
Parliament is expected to play a central role in debating, endorsing, or legislating any proposed amendments to the peace deal, as well as passing related laws required to operationalize electoral timelines.
Another key issue driving the extension is the national budget. South Sudan has a history of delayed budget approvals, often stretching months into the fiscal year, with direct consequences for salary payments, service delivery, and macroeconomic stability.
Keeping Parliament in session is widely viewed as an attempt to avoid a repeat of past delays. The extended parliamentary session is therefore expected to tackle not only the budget but also legislative adjustments linked to the peace agreement and electoral roadmap.
In previous years, prolonged parliamentary recesses have coincided with stalled legislative business, including delayed passage of budgets, slow enactment of reform laws, and growing public criticism over lawmakers’ absence during periods of national strain.
In some instances, extended recesses have been followed by rushed sittings to approve critical legislation with limited debate.
The current extension reflects pressure on the government to demonstrate progress on governance reforms ahead of 2026, particularly as regional and international partners continue to link support to tangible steps toward elections and institutional reform.
While the decision allows lawmakers to break briefly for the Christmas holidays, the directive underscores that Parliament remains central to resolving pressing national priorities, including fiscal management, electoral readiness, and the future of the peace agreement.
With legislators set to return in early January, attention will now focus on whether the extended session results in concrete legislative action or whether long-standing political and procedural hurdles continue to slow progress on issues critical to the country’s stability and democratic transition.