October 3rd 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) faction of the holdout groups who refused to sign a peace deal last month alongside Changson Lew and other leaders of the alliance have elected Thomas Cirilo as interim leader of the group.
Last month, the National Salvation Front, led by Thomas Cirilo and People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) led by Dr. Hakim Dario all together alongside other disgruntled leaders of the South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC), National Democratic Movement (NDM) refused to sign the peace deal saying it failed to address their concerns.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and extended to the Nyamilepedia, the holdout groups said they have met and elected Thomas Cirilo as the new interim leader of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA). They said the meeting took place on 30 September.
“The leaders of the alliance who remained true to SSOA objectives met and resolved to establish an interim SSOA Executive body, tasked with defining the way forward for SSOA post the 12th September 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS),” said in the statement extended to the Nyamilepedia.
The new alliance faction includes the National Salvation Front (NAS) of Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka, People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) of Dr. Hakim Dario, National Democratic Movement (NDM) of Emmanuel Aban, the United Democratic Republic Alliance (UDRA) of Gatwech K. Thich and South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) of Vakindi L. Unvu.
According to the statement, Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka will be deputized by Vakindi L. Unvu, Emmanuel Y. Ajawin as the Secretary-General, Hakim Dario as the Secretary for Foreign Relations and Kwaje M. Lasu maintain his role as the Spokesperson.
