February 21st 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan government announced on Wednesday that three factions of the ruling SPLM party have agreed to unify as part of the implementation of the Arusha reunification accord.
In January 2015, three SPLM parties, the SPLM-IG led by President Kiir, SPLM-IO led by Dr. Riek Machar and SPLM-FDs led by Pagan Amum signed an agreement in Arusha reunify the party which fractured in December 2013.
According to a statement by the party’s information Secretary Peter Lam Both, those who have joined the ruling faction led by Kiir includes the Former Detainees and the SPLM-IO faction led by the FVP Taban Deng Gai.
The main SPLM opposition faction led by the country’s former First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar is not a party to the new agreement.
“Three groups of the SPLM which are the SPLM, SPLM-FDs and the SPLM-IO have reunified, so we have one SPLM now, “ Lam said in the statement seen by the Nyamilepedia.
Lam said baser on the agreement by the parties, all th positions must be immediately filled and those who are currently abroad will be given an ultimatum to return to the country.
“All the positions that are vacant on all sides whether SPLM or SPLM-IO or the FDs, must be filled immediately and that those who may not be around will be given a specific timeframe to return to their respective positions, at least after one month,” he said.
“After the organs of all the parties meet, they will then sit down as one SPLM to structure the SPLM national secretariat, so I think this is good news for the people of South Sudan because the SPLM has finally come together,” he added.
He further said there is a discussion by the parties to keep “ the Political Bureau which is consisting of 19 members. It has to be kept as it is, and the additional 16 members that the Arusha Agreement calls for, will be allocated by the SPLM when the chairperson of the party convenes the Political Bureau meeting with the 19 members.
