The Speakers of the Central and Western Equatoria State Legislative Assemblies have called for stronger cooperation between the two states to prevent communal conflicts and promote peaceful participation in South Sudan’s upcoming elections.
The call was made during a meeting in Juba between Central Equatoria State Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Taban Emmanuel Baya and his Western Equatoria counterpart, Rt. Hon. Ann Tuna Richard, who paid a courtesy visit to the Central Equatoria Assembly.
The discussions focused on strengthening inter-state parliamentary relations, addressing community tensions and enhancing civic education as the country prepares for the planned December 22, 2026 general elections.
Speaker Ann Tuna urged her Central Equatoria counterpart to engage directly with the Mundari community to help prevent possible conflicts involving the Moru community of Western Equatoria.
She said stronger engagement between communities across state borders was necessary to address disputes before they escalate into violence.
“I am here in the spirit of cooperation. As Speakers, we have similar responsibilities. Hence, let us work together to ensure our people live in peaceful coexistence,” Tuna said.
The Speaker emphasized that the Mundari and Moru communities should not allow differences or local disputes to undermine their broader social relations, describing them as part of one South Sudanese population.
She also called on the two state legislatures to support the implementation of resolutions emerging from grassroots peace initiatives, saying parliamentary institutions have an important role in translating community-level peace agreements into practical action.
The meeting also placed the upcoming elections at the centre of discussions, with the two Speakers agreeing to support peaceful, democratic and secure elections through strengthened civic education.
The commitment comes as South Sudan prepares for the December polls, which are expected to mark the country’s first general elections since independence in 2011.
The elections have been repeatedly delayed amid conflict, political disagreements and challenges in implementing key provisions of the 2018 peace agreement.
Against this background, the two Speakers said citizens need access to civic information that enables them to understand their rights and responsibilities during the electoral process.
They also stressed the importance of tolerance and peaceful political participation to prevent electoral competition from aggravating existing communal tensions.
Speaker Baya welcomed the visit by Tuna, describing it as an opportunity to deepen relations between the two legislatures and promote unity among communities in the Equatoria region.
He commended the role of state assemblies in lawmaking, oversight, civic education and grassroots peacebuilding, saying cooperation between neighbouring states could help address challenges that cross administrative boundaries.
The Speakers said state legislatures should play a more active role in supporting peace initiatives within communities, particularly where disputes involve people living on opposite sides of state boundaries.
For Western and Central Equatoria, such cooperation is particularly significant because communities maintain social, economic and cultural links across administrative borders.
The leaders said stronger communication between government institutions and communities could help prevent local disputes from developing into wider security problems.
They further called on citizens to embrace dialogue, tolerance and peaceful coexistence as the country approaches a politically sensitive electoral period.
The meeting also underscored the importance of involving women and young people in governance and peacebuilding.
The Speakers said women should have a greater role in political leadership and community reconciliation, while young people should be encouraged to participate constructively in governance rather than becoming involved in violence or political confrontation.
The two Assemblies agreed to strengthen their working relationship through continued dialogue, including proposed exchange visits and capacity-building programmes for lawmakers and parliamentary staff.
They also backed the establishment of a Speakers’ Forum that would provide a platform for state assembly leaders to exchange experiences and discuss common governance and peacebuilding challenges.
For the two Equatoria states, the initiative could provide a mechanism for addressing issues that extend beyond individual state boundaries, including communal relations, security, service delivery and civic participation.
The meeting ended with a tour of the Central Equatoria State Assembly Chambers by Speaker Tuna.
The two Speakers said their cooperation should ultimately translate into stronger institutions, peaceful communities and greater public participation in governance.
As South Sudan moves toward the December elections, their call places state legislatures at the centre of efforts to ensure that political competition does not undermine community relations, while giving citizens the information and space needed to participate peacefully in the electoral process.