By Yiep Joseph
South Sudanese community leaders in Uganda have called on their members to limit unnecessary movement as the country enters general elections this week.
According to the advisor note dated 10th January 2026, Johnson Kengen Ngachor, the chairperson of the South Sudan Community in Uganda, called on the South Sudanese to reduce movement.
He added that as people of Uganda start their general election on the 15th of January, 2026, South Sudanese have to reduce unnecessary movement to avoid co-incidences.
Kengen expressed that the advisory note to South Sudanese followed a recent meeting between the South Sudanese community leaders and the Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to Uganda.
He added that the meeting resolved the need for all South Sudanese all over Uganda to reduce movement during the election time.
“In respect of Uganda’s electoral process and in observance of the laws of the host country, community members are advised to limit unnecessary movement during the election period and to conduct all personal activities in a calm, orderly, and lawful manner,” the advisory partly read.
Kengen also revealed that during the suspension of the South Sudanese culture, distances will be maintained till the election process is completed.
“Following the community leaders’ meeting held on 8th January 2026, it was unanimously resolved to temporarily suspend all the South Sudanese cultural dances and related activities from 12th January 2026 until the conclusion of the election,” he said.
He added that such a decision is meant to avoid unnecessary large gatherings.
In a separate report, three South Sudanese officials are part of a high-level regional election observation mission drawn from the African Union (AU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to monitor the January 15, 2026, general elections in neighboring Uganda.
The regional mission, officially known as the AU–COMESA–IGAD Election Observation Mission, arrived in Uganda on Friday at the invitation of the Government of Uganda and the country’s Electoral Commission. The delegation comprises 84 short-term observers drawn from across Africa to assess the credibility and conduct of the polls.
According to the IGAD communications department, South Sudan is represented by William Kolnyin Deng and Mangar Alit Kecuol, both officials of the National Elections Commission (NEC) of South Sudan, alongside Taban Phillip Patrick Attara, a South Sudanese representative to the IGAD Youth Forum for Peace.
Uganda heads to the polls this month, with incumbent President Yoweri Museveni (81) seeking a seventh term against opposition candidate Bobi Wine (43), who is challenging for the National Resistance Movement Chairman for the second time amid a repressive political environment.
Observers have been deployed across all regions of Uganda to monitor key election-day processes, including the opening of polling stations, voting procedures, closing of polls, and vote counting.
The team comprises diplomats accredited to the AU, election management officials, civil society actors, election and human rights experts, gender and media specialists, and youth representatives.