Gunfire Disrupts South Sudan Party Primary

Africa: South Sudan

A party vote to pick a candidate in a county where fighting has flared since 2021 was interrupted by gunfire. The local commissioner now questions whether it was credible.

Joseph Bakosoro, a former presidential affairs minister, has won the primary of South Sudan’s ruling party for the Tambura parliamentary seat on Wednesday 11 November 2026, in a vote disrupted by gunfire, according to Tambura County Commissioner James Mopaya. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), the ruling party, is choosing its candidates by delegate vote ahead of the country’s first general elections since independence in 2011.

For US readers, the incident shows the security risk around South Sudan’s first general election, set by the National Elections Commission, the state body that runs elections, for Tuesday 22 December 2026. Western Equatoria, the south-western state that includes Tambura, has seen fighting flare since 2021.

What Happened at the Primary

Bakosoro was chosen as the SPLM flagbearer for Geographical Constituency No. 8, a parliamentary seat covering Tambura and Nagero counties in Western Equatoria State, in the south-west, the commissioner said. Mopaya said gunshots were heard about one mile from Freedom Square, the venue in Tambura town where the primary was held, just as candidates were taking their seats so that delegates could stand behind them.

Mopaya said the shooting began around 11:30 a.m. and that the timing made it look planned, “as if it was a kind of coordinated programme”. He said 71 of the 350 registered delegates from the two counties ran from the venue and did not vote, while the other 279 carried on.

Noah Issah Philip, the state’s information minister, blamed suspected SPLA-IO fighters and said no injuries were reported because shots were fired into the air. He put the start of the shooting at about 11:00 a.m., when voting was due to begin, and said government forces responded.

The Numbers and the Doubts

Mopaya gave the result as 143 votes for Bakosoro, 125 for General Rapheal Zamoai and 11 for Luka Beru, with a fourth candidate on zero. Those figures add up to the 279 delegates who stayed.

Mopaya also questioned the credibility of the primary, citing incomplete delegate selection in some areas and complaints from residents of Source Yaubo Payam, an administrative area, about how their representatives were chosen. He said he had advised the SPLM leadership to consider repeating the exercise, and that the decision rests with the party.

Bakosoro wrote in a statement online that “tomorrow belongs to people who prepare for it today.” He was elected governor of Western Equatoria State in 2010 and later served as minister of presidential affairs.

What It Means for You

The episode is a small test of how the December vote may be run in places with a history of fighting. Readers following the election can find the wider picture in South Sudan Election Talks Set to Resume, South Sudan Election on Tuesday 22 December 2026 and our South Sudan explainer.

What Is Not Known

SPLA-IO officials could not be reached for comment, so who fired the shots is not established. The vote count comes from the Tambura commissioner, and we could not find an official SPLM tally or an independent count.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the SPLM primary in Tambura?

Joseph Bakosoro won, with 143 votes, according to Tambura County Commissioner James Mopaya. General Rapheal Zamoai received 125 and Luka Beru 11.

What happened during the vote?

Gunshots were heard about one mile from Freedom Square on Wednesday, and 71 of 350 delegates fled without voting, Mopaya said. The state information minister blamed suspected SPLA-IO fighters and said no injuries were reported.

Will the primary be repeated?

Mopaya said he advised SPLM leaders to consider a rerun, but the decision rests with the party leadership. We have found no announced decision.

When are South Sudan’s general elections?

General elections are scheduled for Tuesday 22 December 2026. They would be the first since independence in 2011.

Sources: Tambura County Commissioner James Mopaya, comments on the SPLM primary for Tambura and Nagero, reported 11 November 2026; Joseph Bakosoro, public statement, 11 November 2026; Western Equatoria State Information Minister Noah Issah Philip, comments reported 11 November 2026; National Elections Commission of South Sudan, announcement of the 22 December 2026 general election date, 22 June 2026.

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