By Matik Kueth
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has called on the parties to the R-ARCSS to recommit to the peace implementation process without delay, emphasizing the need to complete the remaining tasks ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Speaking at the reopening of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly in Juba on Wednesday, Kiir stressed the necessity for the parties to implement the remaining provisions in time.
“I urge all parties to the Peace Agreement to recommit without setting preconditions or reservations to complete the remaining transitional tasks in time for free, fair, and credible elections in 2026,” Kiir said.
He extended an olive branch to holdout factions, urging them to abandon hostilities and embrace dialogue.
“To the holdout groups, I extend my hand for peace once more. The suffering of our people must not be prolonged by the continued rejection of dialogue. The doors of peace remain open,” he stated.
Kiir also announced the reconstitution of the High-Level Standing Committee to partner with electoral and transitional justice institutions, emphasizing the need for accountability and institutional readiness.
“I have reconstituted the high-level standing committee for the implementation of the peace agreement to work closely with the electoral and transitional justice institutions. Ensuring that the responsibilities are fully and timely executed to our international partners. South Sudan remains forever free by peaceful coexistence, regional cooperation, and mutual respect,” he stressed.
Delays in peace agreement implementation
Despite repeated pledges, several critical steps remain unfinished, including the permanent constitution, which is still in draft form with no agreed timeline for finalization, and the unified national army, with the amalgamation of armed forces still incomplete, according to R-JMEC, the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission.
The peace monitoring body warned in March that the house arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar constitutes a direct breach of the R-ARCSS, endangering the entire agreement.
“The gains of the past six and a half years are too numerous simply to be discarded,” it stated.
On the other hand, CTSAMVM reported dwindling confidence across all key benchmarks, including security sector unity, judicial capacity, and constituent constitutional forums.
Machar is still under house arrest
The SPLM-IO leader, Dr. Riek Machar, remains confined at his Juba residence following March’s crackdown.
His detainment, carried out by an armed convoy of national security forces, disarmed his guards and imposed restrictions without parliamentary oversight.
Meanwhile, regional and international peace brokers asserted that Machar’s arrest has effectively collapsed the peace agreement.
However, the government insisted that Machar would first be investigated in court before his release due to the alleged allegation regarding the Nasir incident.
The road ahead to 2026
The National Election Act requires the announcement of a calendar six months in advance, and the R-ARCSS mandates elections within two months of the transitional period’s completion.
With key provisions still unfulfilled, analysts caution that without urgent action, the election timeline remains in jeopardy.
The head of the state’s appeal reflects a renewed push for unity and the completion of the peace roadmap. Whether armed holdouts respond and whether Machar’s incarceration is freed may determine whether South Sudan has credible elections or deepens its turmoil.