By Emmanuel Sule | Radio Bakhita| Stakeholders in South Sudan have agreed to establish a national multi-stakeholder platform to counter hate speech and disinformation, warning that inflammatory rhetoric and false information could fuel tensions and violence ahead of the country’s planned December 2026 elections.
The agreement followed a three-day workshop organized by the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Government of South Sudan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Speaking at the close of the workshop, Edmond Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said hate speech and disinformation pose a serious threat to peace, social cohesion and the credibility of the electoral process.
Yakani, who participated as a civil society facilitator, said South Sudan’s history of political and communal violence makes the country particularly vulnerable to inflammatory messages that could deepen divisions during an election period.
He said political polarization since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013 has demonstrated how divisive narratives can exploit ethnic and political differences and potentially mobilize communities against one another.
The risk could become greater during elections, when political competition, misinformation and provocative statements can spread rapidly through radio, social media and other communication platforms. Such messages can undermine public trust in electoral institutions, intimidate voters, deepen ethnic and political divisions and, in extreme cases, trigger violence.
Yakani said the workshop brought together representatives of government, civil society organizations, religious leaders, academics and independent commissions to discuss practical measures for preventing and responding to harmful information.
Participants agreed on the need to establish a national multi-stakeholder platform that would help monitor, prevent and respond to hate speech and disinformation.
Yakani urged citizens, particularly political leaders and their supporters, to communicate responsibly and avoid language that could incite hatred, hostility or violence as the country moves toward elections.
He warned that history has shown the devastating consequences of unchecked hate speech and propaganda, citing the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda as an example of how inflammatory rhetoric can contribute to mass violence.
Yakani said South Sudan should learn from such experiences by acting early to prevent political disagreements from being transformed into ethnic hostility or violence.
He also reminded the public that hate speech and deliberate disinformation can have legal consequences and urged citizens to respect the law while exercising their rights to political expression and participation.
Yakani called on government institutions, political parties, civil society, religious leaders, journalists and citizens to support the proposed national platform and work collectively to ensure that the electoral period remains peaceful.
South Sudan is preparing for its first general elections since gaining independence in 2011. The planned polls come against a background of years of political conflict and communal violence, making responsible public communication and access to credible information critical to preventing tensions during the electoral process.