General Ruai Kuol, Dak Duop, General Ochan join SPLM faction under Kiir

JUBA – Former senior members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), General Ruai Kuol Jal, General Ochan Puot and Dak Duop Bichiok, who broke away from the main armed opposition group led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny have declared their intentions to dissolve their factions and join the SPLM faction under President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

The decision was announced during a press conference in the capital Juba on Friday, August 28, 2020.

Reading the declaration on behalf of his colleagues, General Ruai Kuol who was the SPLM-IO military governor of Unity state before breaking away from Machar to form the National People’s Alliance Movement/Army (NPAM/A) said they were joining the faction under Kiir to unite their efforts with that of President Salva Kiir to bring permanent peace to the country.

“We are returning back to the mother SPLM under the chairmanship of H.E the President of Republic of South Sudan General Salva Kiir Mayardit because we want to unite our effort so that we end the war for good and bring permanent peace to our country,” Ruai said.

Ruai broke away from Machar in 2017 following his dismissal as the group’s military governor of Unity state by Machar. At the time, he accused unnamed individuals of working to  sideline him from the SPLM-IO decision making institutions.

Dak Duop who served on the ticket of the SPLM-IO as South Sudan minister of petroleum prior to the collapse of the 2015 peace agreement in July 2016 defected to president Salva Kiir early this year.

Ochan defected from Machar in August 2019 following fighting between SPLA-IO forces and armed civilians in Maiwut leading to widespread displacement and killing.

There was no immediate reaction from the Machar-led movement on the decision of the two powerful former members of the SPLM-IO.