NPM Endorses Issa Muzamil Makelele as Presidential Candidate for December Election

By: Ginaba Lino

The National Patriotic Movement (NPM) has endorsed its chairman, Dr. Issa Muzamil Sebit Makelele, as its presidential candidate for South Sudan’s December 2026 general elections, positioning him to contest against incumbent President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

The endorsement was announced during a press conference in Juba on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, a day after President Kiir announced the dissolution of the Transitional Government of National Unity as the country entered the final three months before the scheduled elections.

NPM said its governing council had formally endorsed Makelele to carry the party’s flag in the presidential race, making him one of the political figures expected to seek the presidency in the December 22 polls.

The election is scheduled for December 22, 2026, according to the current electoral timetable. President Kiir announced on September 22 that the transitional government would be dissolved in line with the legal requirements governing the election period.

The NPM endorsement comes at a critical stage of the electoral process, with political parties now preparing to nominate candidates and mobilize supporters ahead of the polls.

During the press conference, the NPM also outlined what it described as key conditions needed for a credible electoral process.

The party called for equal political space for all parties and candidates, impartial application of the law, and equal access to public media during the election period.

NPM said political parties should be allowed to conduct their activities without discrimination and called for the electoral environment to provide equal opportunities for competing candidates to communicate their programmes to voters.

The party further emphasized the importance of fairness in the application of electoral and other relevant laws as political parties move into the campaign period.

The call comes as South Sudan prepares for the first general elections since independence in 2011. The country’s elections have previously been postponed during successive transitional periods.

The party said it will unveil additional candidates for other elective positions in the coming weeks.

These will include candidates for state governorships, national and state legislative assemblies, as well as local government positions.

The announcements are expected to provide a clearer picture of the NPM’s wider electoral strategy as political parties prepare to compete at national, state and local levels.

The Political Parties Council has reported that dozens of political parties have been registered to participate in the 2026 electoral process, reflecting a field that is expected to include multiple presidential and legislative contenders. NPM is among the parties registered to contest the elections, with Issa Muzamil Sebit listed as its leader.

Makelele has previously publicly advocated for South Sudan to proceed with elections rather than extend the transitional period.

In 2023, while serving as chairman of the then National Patriotic Party, he argued that insecurity in parts of the country should not automatically prevent elections and said South Sudanese should be given the opportunity to choose their leaders through the ballot.

More recently, during the launch of the National Elections Commission’s civic and voter education programme, Makelele described the initiative as an important step in South Sudan’s electoral process.

He also called on the government to provide adequate funding to the National Elections Commission and the Political Parties Council to enable them to complete preparations for the December polls.

The NPM endorsement comes as political activity intensifies following President Kiir’s announcement that the transitional government had reached the end of its mandate.

The dissolution was announced on September 22, exactly three months before the scheduled December 22 elections. Government officials have said the move is intended to allow the country to enter the final electoral period without a constitutional or institutional vacuum.

Political parties are also expected to engage in an inter-party dialogue to address outstanding political and electoral issues ahead of the vote. The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission has urged political actors to use the dialogue to build consensus and support a peaceful electoral process.

With the NPM now having formally selected its presidential candidate, attention is expected to turn to the party’s forthcoming parliamentary, gubernatorial and local government nominations as South Sudan moves closer to the December polls.