Machar has no plan to return to SPLM party – official

JUBA – A senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has said that First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny who is also the leader of the main armed opposition group is not planning to join the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

There have been speculations through whole of last week that Machar was planning to rejoin the ruling SPLM faction as claims have been made that relationship between Kiir and Machar was improving.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Tuesday night, Dut Majokdit, a member of the SPLM-IO National Liberation Council (NLC) and close ally of the First Vice President, said the SPLM-IO and Machar in particular, has no plan to rejoin the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

“First of all those speculations are all lies and the First Vice President, chairman and commander in chief of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) has no any intention to join the SPLM in Government led by President Salva,” Majokdit told a Sudans Post reporter in Juba on Tuesday night.

“The SPLM/SPLM (IO) is a political organization that has an intention to effect change in the Republic of South Sudan and we cannot join the ruling party because the people of South Sudan have declared their disapproval of the SPLM under President Salva Kiir Mayardit,” he said.

He further added that the group led by Machar “cannot commit suicide and sell our dignity and popularity among the people of South Sudan by going to the SPLM party which we know that the people of South Sudan will not vote for in the elections.”