South Sudan’s opposition party fractured on Wednesday, deepening the country’s already unstable political situation as its leader remained under house arrest in the capital, Juba.
The nation has been shaken by ongoing clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, with Machar himself placed under house arrest last month.
The tensions between the two leaders have put the 2018 peace agreement, which ended a brutal five-year civil war, at risk, raising concerns among international observers about a potential return to violence that claimed over 400,000 lives.
On Wednesday, Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) announced the appointment of Stephen Par Kuol as their interim leader while Machar remains in custody.
Kuol sought to clarify the situation, insisting, “It is not a coup,” and explaining that the leadership change was meant to address the crisis caused by the detention of their chairman.
“We have done this to resolve the leadership crisis that was caused by the detention of our chairman,” he told reporters.
However, hours later, the military wing of the SPLM-IO, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO), issued a statement reaffirming their full allegiance to Machar.
Lam Paul Gabriel, spokesperson for the SPLA-IO, announced that Machar’s deputy, Nathaniel Oyet Pierino, would assume command in his absence.
Gabriel further added that the chief of staff, Peter Thok Chuol, had instructed members to “distance themselves from the betrayers in Juba,” though no additional details were provided.
The split follows a decision by the SPLM-IO to suspend Kuol from the party on Monday, accusing him of trying to create division by mobilising support from Kiir’s government to replace Machar.
