South Sudan sets December date for long-delayed first-ever election

South Sudanese authorities announced December 22 as the date for the country's first-ever general election, which has been repeatedly postponed since independence in 2011. Electoral chief Abednego Akok Kacuol acknowledged funding gaps and unresolved legal amendments continue to hamper preparations, while opposition groups like the SPLM-IO warned that holding elections remains dangerous amid ongoing conflict.