Lawmaker quits SPLM-IO over economic and political ‘confusion’

JUBA — A South Sudanese lawmaker has resigned from the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), citing a “widening gap” between the movement’s founding principles and the “stagnation” of its current leadership.

Anei Deng Akok, a member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly representing Northern Bahr el Ghazal on the SPLM-IO ticket, formally tendered his resignation in a letter to detained party chairman Riek Machar.

In his letter dated January 9, Anei stated that the party’s mandate has been lost in practice, leaving the nation’s citizens to endure “suffering, economic hardship, and tribal divisions.”

He noted that this dissonance compelled him to reflect deeply and ultimately “relieve myself from the confusion and stagnation that have beset our movement.”

The legislator, who previously served as the Minister of Agriculture in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, expressed gratitude for the trust bestowed upon him but emphasized a shift in his political conviction.

“I remain committed to seeking a rightful political path and direction—one whose ideology truly liberates our people from war, poverty, and division,” the letter read.

Anei’s departure creates a legal and political complication regarding his seat in the national legislature. Under the terms of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, parliamentary seats are allocated based on specific party quotas.

Because Anei was appointed to the assembly on the SPLM-IO ticket, his resignation from the party theoretically renders him without a legal basis to remain in parliament, as the position belongs to the party rather than the individual.

The resignation comes amid a broader trend of political fragmentation within the unity government.

President Salva Kiir has frequently dismissed Machar’s allies from key positions, while other officials have resigned from the SPLM-IO but continued to occupy offices that were originally designated for the opposition quota.

This practice has led to repeated protests from Machar’s camp, who argue it undermines the power-sharing ratios agreed upon in the peace deal.

Anei did not specify if he would vacate his seat immediately or seek to remain as an independent, though he noted his immediate focus would be on “personal and professional activities.”

His exit follows a string of recent defections that have weakened the SPLM-IO’s influence in the transitional government as the country moves toward a precarious electoral period amid escalating violence.