Speaking during the inauguration of the faction’s first headquarters in Juba on Tuesday, Kuol said there had been misunderstandings surrounding the group’s identity following recent changes within the opposition movement.
“We are the historical SPLM/SPLA-IO. Another thing I want to correct in our minds is these things: that we have changed our name. We have not changed our name. We are registered as the SPLM-IO party. Nothing has been altered,” Kuol said.
The remarks came amid speculation that the faction, which emerged after internal divisions within the SPLM-IO, had adopted a new political identity separate from the original opposition movement.
Kuol maintained that the faction’s constitution, structures, and political principles remain intact, arguing that it is not a temporary arrangement but a permanent political organisation.
“We need to take that home with us. We are not an interim organisation; we are here to stay,” he said.
He added that the faction’s presence across the country demonstrated its political strength and readiness to participate in national political processes.
“The fact that we have leadership in every state of this country tells us that we are a formidable political force to reckon with. We will engage everybody, and we are also involved in inter-party dialogues,” Kuol said.
Kuol, who also serves as the Minister of Peacebuilding in the transitional government, called on political leaders to shift away from traditional party rhetoric and focus on addressing the needs of ordinary South Sudanese as the country prepares for elections.
He said citizens would ultimately judge the current political generation based on their actions and contributions to national development.
“The people of South Sudan will be asking all of us, as a political generation, whether we are in SPLM-IO, SPLM, or SSOA. They will ask us, ‘What did we do during our times?’” he said.
According to Kuol, political leaders should prioritise service delivery, unity, and accountability rather than relying on speeches and political promises.
“What our people need today as we go to elections is not political oratory or being loud at the mic. Our people do not need speeches,” he said.
“They have heard of it, and they have heard too much of it. What they need now is unity of all the political forces to steer the country forward.”
Kuol warned that leaders who fail to serve the interests of citizens would eventually lose public support, saying political authority must be earned through performance rather than imposed.
“You cannot force it on people. Even if you do, there will be a time when they will get an opportunity to get rid of you one way or another. The people of South Sudan need better than this,” he said.
He said the faction’s political agenda ahead of the elections would focus on addressing everyday challenges affecting communities, including insecurity, food shortages, livestock diseases, and the impact of natural disasters such as flooding.
“They need protection from floods. This is what we are taking to the elections. Because in the elections, I see elections also as a dialogue by themselves,” Kuol said.
The SPLM-IO faction leader also called for greater engagement between political leaders and citizens, arguing that previous political processes had largely focused on power-sharing among elites rather than addressing public concerns.
“We, the political elite of South Sudan, have been talking just to share power among ourselves. We need people-to-people talk, and we want to give our people the space to also talk to us and challenge us. This is very important,” he said.
