SPLM-IO dismisses as ‘baseless’ claim by Kiir’s party that opposition generals blocked its rallies

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition SPLM-IO led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has dismissed as ‘baseless’ a claim by President Salva Kiir’s SPLM party that its election rallies are being blocked by SPLM-IO generals in areas controlled by the Machar-led group.

Speaking to reporters last Friday in Juba, SPLM Interim Secretary General Peter Lam Both claimed that his group has become stronger more than it was and has registered 4.5 million people across the country as members.

“On the 11th anniversary of our independence, I want to report that SPLM today is stronger than it was yesterday. This is a result of the effort by many leaders of our party, both at the national and state levels,” Lam said.

“It is now more organized, more harmonious, and focused. Since the launch of the SPLM renaissance mission in March this year which our competition took for elections campaign, we have registered more than 4.5 people, members of SPLM across the states,” he added.

The top SPLM party official however said that they could not make it to some countries controlled by the SPLM-IO because opposition generals allied to Machar have denied them conduct of election campaign rallies there.

“With the exception of some counties where SPLM-IO commanders are not informed that we are at peace in Juba. They denied SPLM to organize in those areas, even as we allow IO elements to enjoy in the areas which we control,” he said.

“BASELESS ACCUSATIONS’

But in reaction, the SPLM-IO Director of Information and Public Relations Puok Both Baluang debunked the claim, and said the SPLM-IO has given the right to association and organization to citizens in the areas that they control.

“We granted all the parties the right of association and all the rights in our area. I would like to refute all these baseless accusations by the SPLM interim Secretary-General, accusing our generals, these are baseless accusations,” he said, according to Eye Radio.

“It would have been good if the SPLM acting Secretary-General worked hard on how their party concentrated on implementing the agreement in letter and spirit,” Baluang who is also the press secretary for the first vice president, said.