Pal Mai Deng, the SPLM-IO Spokesperson, equivocally and warily made the revelation following the confiscation of Angelina Teny’s electronic devices by suspected National Security Service agents this week.
Mai said that while the reasons for the seizure of Angelina’s gadgets, including a computer, mobile phone, and modem, were concealed from the public, speculations were growing about a potential relocation of Mr. Machar, who remained under house arrest at his official residence in Juba since March.
“Details of the reason as to why her [Angelina’s] phones were taken are unknown, but rumours and speculations are saying that there is a plan to relocate the First Vice President, for ill-intention, to Uganda in particular without being known,” the spokesperson wrote.
He alleged that the plan was hatched at a meeting between the Vice President for Economic Cluster, Benjamin Bol Mel, and Uganda’s President Museveni.
“The decision is rumoured to have its origin from a meeting that Vice President Bol Mel had with Museveni a few days ago. This information is sensitive, but sketchy subject to verification. The SPLM (IO) senior leadership will give an official update on this matter,” Mai wrote.
Bol Mel met Museveni in Entebbe during the Twelfth High-Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the Peace, Security, and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the region on 29th May 2025.
Following the summit, Bol Mel held a meeting with Museveni to articulate South Sudan’s diplomatic positions on the conflicts in the DRC and Sudan and to provide an update on the implementation of South Sudan’s Revitalized Peace Agreement. The discussions reportedly focused on regional peace, security, and South Sudan’s geopolitical positioning.
However, it is unclear if that meeting also discussed the relocation to Kampala of Mr. Machar, who is also the Chairman of the SPLM-IO.
The government of South Sudan repeatedly denied access to Machar to regional representatives, including Kenya’s Raila Odinga and the African Union Panel of the Wise.
Despite growing pressure from the international community on President Salva Kiir to free the opposition leader to ensure smooth implementation of the peace agreement, Juba remains defiant.
