JUBA – South Sudan’s National Elections Commission (NEC) says voters without national identity cards or passports can use certificates issued by local chiefs to verify their identities for registration ahead of elections scheduled for Dec. 22.

Ahon Malou Lueth, the commission’s acting secretary-general, said chiefs could certify the identities of residents without official identification documents.

“Whoever does not have a passport or National ID can obtain what we call a certificate of certification, issued by the area chief,” Malou told reporters in Juba on Monday.

“The chief knows who belongs to each area and can certify you with a certificate that can be used for registration. That is the issue concerning people who do not have a National ID,” she said.

A World Bank report published in July said nearly 90% of South Sudan’s population lacked government-recognised identification. The figure covers all forms of government-recognised identification, not only national identity cards.

The NEC has yet to announce when voter registration will begin. Chairman Gabriel Bol Deng said on Sept. 22 that the date would be announced once preparations were complete.

The commission has said registration will be conducted manually, with eligible voters registering in person using paper records.

In September, President Salva Kiir signed amendments to the electoral framework removing the requirements for a national census and a permanent constitution before elections.

The changes allow preparations to proceed without those requirements. However, the election process remains contested, with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, led by detained former First Vice-President Riek Machar, opposing the December polls and raising concerns about the conditions for a credible election.

The government has continued preparations for the Dec. 22 vote. South Sudan has not held a national election since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011. The elections have been postponed four times.