FACT-CHECK: Is there an election in South Sudan in December 2026?

All current information publicly available shows that the country is in the preparatory stages for December 2026 elections
The ClarityDeskOctober 1, 2026
Is there an election in South Sudan in December 2026
All current information publicly available shows that the country is in the preparatory stages for December 2026 elections

A Facebook post (archived) alleging that there is no election in South Sudan in December 2026 is false.

“…Tutkeu,  Lomoro,  Adut kiir, Taban Deng, Wani Igga, Nyandeng Garang, and Abdelebgi don’t want an election,” the post, published on 12 July 2026, claimed. The post was also accompanied by an image of people who appear to be on the run.

A screen grab of the post as published on Facebook in July 2026
A screen grab of the post as published on Facebook in July 2026

 

Debunking the Claim:

A keyword search on Google for the words: “There’s no election in South Sudan in December 2026′ Tutkew, Lomoro, Adut Kiir, Taban Deng, Wani Igga, Nyandeng Garang, and Abdelebgi don’t want an election” returned, results with quite a number of articles where the South Sudan government under President Salva Kiir Mayardit emphasising that elections will be held in December 2026.

Here are reliable media houses that have been reporting about the December elections. SSBC NEWS, TRT Africa, Radio Tamazuj, DW Africa and BBC

On 23 July 2026, President Kiir declared a presidential bid as the country prepared for the first-ever elections. 

On 22 September 2026, BBC News reported (archived) that South Sudan President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional government (archived) to prepare the country for its first general elections.

A Google reverse image search of the image in the post returned results, showing the same image as first posted by Getty Images taken in Bidibidi refugee camp, Uganda, in 2017 thus shows no connection between the 2026 elections and the image.

A screenshot of the image as it was used on Getty Images 
A screenshot of the image as it was used on Getty Images

 

Our Verdict:

The ClarityDesk has found the claim making rounds that there is no election in South Sudan in December 2026 because some leaders are not interested in elections to be false. All current  information publicly available shows that the country is in the preparatory stages for December 2026 elections.

 

This article is published by The ClarityDesk through the Young Journalists Media Integrity Fellowship, with the support of the Election Civic Tech Fund of AfricTivistes, within the AHEAD Africa and Digitalise Youth projects, led by the Digital Democracy Initiative.

Have you spotted an error in this article and would like to request a correction, or have you come across a claim that we should investigate? Please send us an email via editor@claritydesk.org or click here to WhatsApp us via +211 928 606 958.

About The ClarityDesk

The ClarityDesk is a media integrity project based in South Sudan dedicated to promoting truth, transparency, and accountability. Working at the intersection of fact-checking, solutions and data journalism, we verify claims, debunk misinformation, and equip the public with tools to critically evaluate information. Our work is guided by accuracy, independence, and the public interest.

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This website was developed with the financial support of the Election Civic Tech Fund of AfricTivistes. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan and do not necessarily reflect the views of AfricTivistes. This Fund is carried out within the AHEAD Africa and Digitalise Youth projects.


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