Museveni calls for peace as South Sudan's long-awaited election nears

Mr Museveni made the appeal on Wednesday evening after meeting a South Sudanese delegation led by Trade and Industry Minister Labanya Margaret Mathya Ugila at State House Entebbe, where the two sides held talks on the sidelines of a joint business forum. ​

"We also exchanged views on South Sudan's forthcoming elections and the importance of peace, stability and continued cooperation between our two countries," the Ugandan leader said in a post on his X account.

He coupled the peace appeal with an economic message, noting that Uganda already exports goods worth about $700 million to South Sudan each year — trade he said could grow further if the two countries tackled barriers along the busy Juba–Nimule road and advanced a cross-border electricity transmission project. ​

'Ballots, not bullets'

South Sudan is scheduled to hold its first general election on 22 December, more than 15 years after independence in 2011. The vote has been postponed repeatedly amid recurring conflict, most recently under a 2018 peace deal between President Salva Kiir and his longtime rival Riek Machar.

Preparations have been turbulent. In September, Mr Kiir dissolved the transitional government and appointed a caretaker administration, then signed amendments to the election law removing requirements for a permanent constitution and a national census — changes rejected by opposition parties as lacking consultation. Last week, he replaced the head of the elections commission without explanation, and voter registration has yet to begin. ​

Mr Machar, the main opposition leader, has been under house arrest in Juba since March 2025 and is on trial on charges including treason and murder, which he denies. His party has warned that anyone registering voters in territory it controls "will be a prisoner of war". ​

Pressure on Kampala

International observers share the scepticism. A UN commission concluded last month that South Sudan lacked "many of the safeguards and conditions for peaceful and credible polls", while the Institute for Security Studies said credible elections were "no longer possible" and warned that polls held under current conditions could push the country back toward large-scale violence. ​

That places Mr Museveni — one of Mr Kiir's closest regional allies — in a pivotal position. He flew to Juba in April last year for emergency talks aimed at averting a new civil war after Mr Machar's arrest, and regional analysts have urged him to use his influence with Mr Kiir to push for inclusive dialogue rather than a rushed vote. ​

For Uganda, the stakes are immediate: instability in South Sudan would threaten trade routes, strain border districts and potentially drive new waves of refugees across the frontier. Whether Mr Museveni's call for peace translates into pressure for a credible process — or simply endorses the December date — remains to be seen.

Source DAILY MONITOR