JUBA – South Sudan’s Political Parties Council (PPC) on Thursday raised concern over a funding shortfall, saying an estimated 60 percent deficit is threatening the implementation of its work plan and delaying key institutional activities.

While presenting its report during the monthly plenary meeting of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC), Chairperson of the PPC, James Akol Zakayo, said the shortage forced the institution to operate under tight budgetary limits, making it difficult to fully execute its mandate.

“The report also raises critical warnings regarding a severe 60 percent funding deficit and acute security challenges within designed restricted access zones,” Akol said.

He said the funding shortage slowed down planned activities, including consultations, technical preparations, and stakeholder engagement sessions.

“If left unmitigated, these barriers threaten to stall state membership audits and disrupt the broader December 22, 2026, electoral timeline,” Akol said.

Akol said the election roadmap remains highly vulnerable to delays in the release of funds from the national treasury.

“While the Ministry of Finance and Planning has committed to a phased disbursement of the election budget, less than 40 percent of the allocated operational capital has reached PPC accounts,” he said.

He said the funding deficit directly limits field operations, delaying the procurement of vehicles, inspector per diems, and communication tools.

“Sub-national conflict, localized inter-communal violence, and severe seasonal flooding have forced the PPC to designate specific areas as restricted access zones,” he said.

“Unescorted door-to-door membership verification is currently suspended in the following sectors of Greater Upper Nile, including Malakal, Fashoda, and Pariang, which remain restricted due to volatile political alignments and border skirmishes.”

He warned that if the current funding bottleneck is not urgently addressed, the PPC will be unable to complete the physical verification of localized state membership quotas.

“This operational failure will trigger a domino effect, stalling candidate vetting, delaying national voter registration synchronization, and directly comprising the viability of the scheduled timeline,” he said.

“Technical and legislative milestones are meaningless without immediate domestic cash injections and robust security guarantees for field personnel.”

He said their movement in Twic County and parts of Greater Tonj bordering the Abyei Administrative Area has been restricted due to ongoing cattle raiding and land boundary disputes.

He added that inspectors are legally prohibited from accessing these areas without security escorts provided by the South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) or the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).