Due to a funding shortage, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Party announced on Monday that it had accepted the long-overdue postponement of the general election, now set for December 2026.
The transition period, originally scheduled to begin in February 2025 and end in February 2026, has been extended by 24 months, according to a statement from the presidency on Friday.
During a press conference in Juba, Peter Lam Both, Secretary General of the SPLM, explained that the ruling party was forced to accept the extension due to financial constraints.
“The reality is that even our citizens, I believe, will not support the election if funds are unavailable. Both our people and the SPLM support elections, but for them to be legitimate, there must be sufficient funding,” said Lam.
He added, “If we try to hold elections now, we won’t be able to conduct them in Juba or anywhere else without the necessary resources. Elections require funds to register voters and cover logistics.”
“You need financial resources to move from one place to another. Without that, the elections won’t be credible. That’s why we urge our people to prioritize peace over conflict. How would it benefit anyone if we engaged in clashes with SPLM-IO now?”
Lam emphasized that efforts would be made to secure funding to hold elections in December 2026.
“Between now and February 2025, we need to find the financial support necessary for these processes to work and for the elections to take place on December 22, 2026.
This is what we have agreed upon, and this is what the presidency has decided. As SPLM’s Secretary General, I find it uncomfortable to even discuss these extensions, but it is a matter of practicality.”