South Sudan opposition leader berates SPLM for conflation of party and state roles

JUBA – South Sudan opposition leader Peter Biar Ajak has sharply criticized the ruling SPLM party faction led President Salva Kiir Mayardit for its pervasive practice of conflating the roles of a political party and the government, effectively blurring the lines between the two entities.

This comes after the South Sudan embassy in New Delhi, India, on November 6, 2023, sent out public call for citizens living and studying in that country to join the membership of the ruling party as it opened its chapter in the country.

The embassy’s endorsement of a political party’s activities has ignited a wave of anger among South Sudanese citizens and civil society activists. Many have expressed their disapproval of the embassy’s actions, questioning its impartiality and adherence to diplomatic norms.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Monday, Biar who is also the leader of the Revive South Sudan Party (RSSP) delved into the complex relationship between the SPLM, as a political entity, and its position as the governing apparatus in South Sudan.

He underscored the detrimental consequences of this interconnectedness, emphasizing that it has led to a lack of distinction between the party and the state.

Biar highlighted the prevalent perception within the SPLM and the government, particularly among high-ranking officials, including the president, that the SPLM is not merely a political organization but also the de facto state authority. This mindset, he asserted, stems from the SPLM’s origins as a rebel movement.

“The way in which the SPLM sees itself as both the state as well as the party creates a seamless identity,” Biar stated, elucidating the blurred lines between the party’s political function and its governing role. “SPLM doesn’t exist really as a political organization, but it exists still in a form that it was as a rebel movement.”

The exiled opposition leader expressed deep concern over the pressure he said exerted on governmental employees, emphasizing that any dissent against the SPLM is automatically perceived as opposition to the state itself.

“Any criticism of the SPLM is viewed as opposition to the state,” he explained. “This is why anyone expressing political differences with the SPLM is often labelled as a rebel.”

Biar pinpointed the fundamental issue hindering progress towards free and fair elections in the country. He attributed this challenge to the failure in effectively delineating the roles of the state, the party, and various structures within South Sudan.

Biar stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of these distinctions to foster genuine political dialogue and progress.