3212: Democracy Beyond the Ballot: Lessons from Chieftainship Elections in Lakes State

As chieftainship elections take place in Lakes State, this episode explores what democracy looks like beyond national elections. Drawing on South Sudan’s Local Government Act, 2009, the discussion examines how traditional leadership, community participation and decentralisation shape people’s power at the local level. The programme looks at accountability, inclusion of women and youth, and the balance between custom and modern governance, asking what these elections reveal about grassroots democracy and community ownership of leadership. Guest:Achuil Malith Banggol, Council of Traditional Authority Leaders (COTAL) Advisor