June 8th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – The SPLM former political detainees led by the fractured party’s Secretary General reportedly disagreed with Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni over the SPLM reunification that was partially spearheaded by South Sudanese president in Juba in early May.
The former detainees, one source in Kampala told the Nyamilepedia, reportedly told the Ugandan President that the recent convention held in the South Sudanese capital Juba by the SPLM ruling faction was illegal because two other main signatories to the Arusha SPLM Reunification Accord were absence in the partial process held in Juba between 3rd and 5th of May 2018.
“At this point Your Excellency, we will not be ready to implement the reunification document because there is peace talks going on in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and the reunification meeting held by President Kiir in your presence was illegal and not inclusive because two other signatories, our team and that of Riek Machar, were not there,” Rebecca Garang reportedly told the Ugandan President.
The source revealed that Rebecca Garang told Museveni that if there were to be a genuene reunification for the fractured SPLM, the ongoing civil war must first stop and opposition leaders crucial for the reunification of the party must be in Juba to ensure free and conducive environment for such process.
“If there were to be a genuene reunification, the war must stop and important leaders crucial for the reunification of the party like Riek and our team must be in Juba and their presence in Juba need peace to ensure their safety,” Rebecca reported said.
Col. Dickson GatluakJoak, a former spokesman of the forces belonging to the First Vice-President Taban Deng Gai said he is aware of the meeting but could not know the agenda of the Kampala meeting.
“Yes they meet but I have no knowledge of what they have discussed,” he said.
The Arusha SPLM Reunification Accord was signed in 2015 by three SPLM factions, the SPLM-IG led by the incumbent South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, SPLM-IO under the leadership of the country’s former First Vice-President Riek Machar and the SPLM-Former Detainees led by the fractured party’s Secretary General Pagan Amum.
However, hopes for the successful reunification of the party faltered in 2016 after a peace deal signed in August 2016 collapsed that year.
In May, Kiir and his First Vice-President Taban Deng Gai unilaterally reunited their factions leaving out two other main signatories, the SPLM-IO of Riek Machar and the Former Detainees led by Pagan Amum.
