This mixed-methods study investigates the critical gap between the national-level implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and local community perceptions of peace and security. It combines quantitative survey data from 450 respondents across three conflict-affected states with in-depth qualitative interviews and focus group discussions with community leaders, women’s groups, and former combatants. The analysis reveals a significant dissonance: while official metrics report progress on political benchmarks, local communities experience persistent insecurity, economic precarity, and a profound lack of trust in transitional institutions. The study concludes that the technocratic implementation of the peace agreement, devoid of meaningful local legitimacy and socio-economic transformation, risks cementing a fragile ‘elite peace’ that fails to address the foundational drivers of conflict.