SPLM-IO downplays defection of James Kok, Gen. Kuol  as ‘insignificant’

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has downplayed the defection – last week – of senior members of the group saying the move will not affect the party’s stance on the implementation of the 2018 peace deal.

This comes after a group of senior members from the SPLM-IO led by Maj. Gen. Johnson Kuol Gai, former governor of the defunct opposition Phow State who doubled also a member of the Joint Transitional Security Committee (JTSC) representing SPLM-IO, resigned from the main armed opposition group and join South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, Dut Majokdit, a senior member of the SPLM-IO and a close ally to First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar said the defections will not affect the movement arguing that SPLM-IO still has a large support base in the country.

“The resignation of the two members of the SPLM/A-IO is insignificant because it has no impact on the current implementation of the peace agreement since it is a personal decision for any person to resign and join any political party in the government,” Majokdit told a Sudans Post reporter in Juba on Sunday.

Majokdit called on party members to cease shifting of allegiance and commit themselves to the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.

“As SPLM-IO, we don’t see the defections of these two people to have an impact in the peace process because it is insignificant in current time while you are in parliament, you resign and defect. Where are you going to? Shifting of allegiance at this time is not necessary because what we need is the commitment to implement the peace agreement and not defections,” Majokdit.

A senior member of the Machar-led movement said called on the Hon. James Akol Ruea, a lawmaker representing Fangak at national parliament to surrender the position.

“The defectors who are thinking of taking the SPLM-IO position with him to SPLM are living in world of assumptions because when we signed the peace agreement in September 2018, it was stipulated clear by political parties that signed the agreement has a share and for example, the SPLM-IO has 27%,” he said.

“James Akol Ruea went the national parliament with a ticket of the SPLM-IO, Fangak County and if he defected to the SPLM in government then we need our positions back and we will nominate somebody from Fangak who is still loyal to the moment under the chairmanship of the SPLM-IO Dr. Riek Machar,” he added.