 has organized a workshop to strengthen Members of Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference, other Churches and stakeholders on Civic Education and Observer Mission to enhance Democratic Participation in the upcoming General Elections in December 2026.){kind=link}
By Ginaba Lino
The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) has organized a workshop to strengthen Members of Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference, other Churches and stakeholders on Civic Education and Observer Mission to enhance Democratic Participation in the upcoming General Elections in December 2026.
The Coordinator for Promoting Integral Human Development (PIHD) at AMECEA, Fr. Paul Munga’thia Igweta, emphasizes AMECEA’s closeness to supporting the Justice and Peace Commission at the Bishops’ Conference and other Churches in South Sudan as observers for the upcoming Elections.
Fr. Paul adds that they aim to involve stakeholders and Churches in South Sudan to mobilize and facilitate collaborative actions on transition and electoral process in the country.
“Today we have invited several participants including the National Review Commission for the constitution, so that at least once we involve quite several stakeholders, then it will be very possible to realize fair and democratic elections of this country.”
He states that AMECEA has also a slot for working with Indigenous traditional community leaders in their program, citing that once all the stakeholders are involved, they can be able to realize people involved in elections.
“We are doing advocacy and policy-making in different ways,” says the Coordinator for Promoting Integral Human Development (PIHD).
He urges the Bishops of SSCBC and other Church leaders to continue releasing pastoral statements before elections and after the election.
The AMECEA member said, their intention of the civic education to Church leaders and stakeholders is to make sure that there will be no division during or after the elections.
Meanwhile, the Bishop of Tombura-Yambio Catholic Diocese who serves as the president of the Integral Human Development Commission of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops Conference Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala commends AMECEA for choosing to work with the people of South Sudan.
Hiiboro highlights the AMECEA support to the conference of Sudan and South Sudan, adding the support helps to overcome the difficulties the people of South Sudan face.
“I thank the team from AMECEA, for choosing to work alongside us the people of South Sudan, and you know how much AMECEA Region has been crucial to us as the people of this Country, not only giving refuge but also helping us to overcome the difficult we had in trying to get peace to this Country.”
He emphasized that the human relationship between the bishop’s conference and AMECEA can be used to bring peace to South Sudan, adding that the Bishops of Sudan and South Sudan are committed to working together with the AMECEA.
“There is a lot of work that we need to do so that we can help our country to avoid the worst if we are tempted and told to go for elections,” Bishop Hiiboro narrated.
He stated that there is a need to start civic education with people from the grassroots because there is too much ignorance about elections.