Machar’s SPLM-IO suspends four more over ‘seditious’ activities

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has suspended four more members for alleged “seditious activities,” the group said on Monday.

This is the second round of suspensions within the SPLM-IO since early April, when four senior officials, including peacebuilding minister Stephen Par Kuol, were suspended after moves to replace the group’s leader Riek Machar, who has been in detention since late March.

In a statement seen by Sudans Post, SPLM-IO Secretary-General Regina Joseph Kaba named the suspended members as Mabier Mum Kerjok, Mayom Mayual Mau, Karlo Andrew Akwo, and Augustine Ladu Martin.

All were members of the SPLM-IO National Liberation Council and held positions within the group’s secretariat.

The SPLM-IO secretary-general accused the individuals of switching allegiance to a rival faction led by Stephen Par Kuol, who is seeking to install an “interim leadership” and replace Machar.

Joseph said the suspensions were in line with the movement’s code of conduct regarding “seditious activities” and “serious offenses.”

The latest move underscores the SPLM-IO’s efforts to quell internal dissent, particularly those supporting the rival SPLM-IG faction.

The group has accused the suspended members of attempting to destabilize the organization by backing Kuol’s challenge to Machar’s leadership.

The suspensions come at a time of internal strain for the SPLM-IO following the detention of Machar, which has raised concerns about potential fragmentation within the movement and setbacks for the revitalized agreement that brought Machar to Juba in 2020.

While the SPLM-IO leadership has stressed its commitment to unity, ongoing internal rifts and defections pose a threat to its role in the country’s peace process.

The total number of suspended senior SPLM-IO members since April 7 now stands at eight, signaling the group’s determination to counter attempts to weaken its position in South Sudan’s political landscape.

Analysts suggest that further defections or increased traction for the rival faction could lead to further instability within the SPLM-IO.