Machar’s grip weakens as mass defection hits SPLM-IO in Lakes

RUMBEK — At least 70 senior officials from the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Riek Machar have defected to the ruling SPLM faction under President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Lakes State.

Poth Madit, the defectors’ leader and former SPLM-IO-nominated Deputy Governor of Lakes State, announced his defection alongside other top party officials to President Salva Kiir on Thursday at the SPLM House in Rumbek, the state capital.

Speaking to Sudans Post following their defection, Madit said he defected with three members of national parliament, twelve members of the state parliament, including the opposition chief whip, three state ministers, a gubernatorial advisor, three heads of state independent commissions, four members of the group’s National Liberation Council (NLC) and others.

“I have defected to the SPLM along with other comrades and the [defection] event has been organized today in the SPLM house. I have 70 people so far, and they include leaders from the government and leaders who are in the party structure in the state. This is not a list of membership; it is a list of leadership,” Madit said.

“They include those who are in the government, three national MPs, three ministers, four heads of commissions in the state, and twelve members of the state parliament. Among them is a chief whip, two chairpersons of specialized committees, one deputy chairperson of a specialized committee, plus the former commissioner of Yirol West,” he continued.

The senior opposition official alleged that the main armed opposition group doesn’t represent the aspirations of the people of South Sudan, and that the he believes the SPLM-IO doesn’t adhere to the idea of democracy.

“Our three or four years stay in the SPLM-IO have made us understand that the SPLM-IO doesn’t represent the aspirations of the people of the Republic of South Sudan,” he said.

“We believe the SPLM-IO doesn’t adhere to the idea of democracy. That is why we have decided collectively as politicians to resign to prove to the people of South Sudan that we didn’t join SPLM-IO for positions,” he added.

Machar’s party has experienced significant setbacks in recent years, particularly following the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in September 2018 in Ethiopia.

The latest defection deals a significant blow to Machar, who is expected to compete with Kiir in the country’s first-ever elections scheduled for the end of the transitional period.