Over 100 opposition politicians join Kiir

JUBA – At least 120 politicians from different South Sudan opposition groups in the country’s Unity state have declared their intention to join the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) faction led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

The 120 opposition officials decamped from South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) led by Josephine Lagu, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, and National Congress Party of South Sudan.

Former chairman of the National Congress Party (NCP) in Unity State Peter Puok Yang said in an interview that he and 46 other NCP members had joined the SPLM.

“I joined the National congress party in 1992 until I became its chairman in Unity State and now I have decided to join the SPLM,” he said, according to the independent Radio Tamazuj.

The SPLM Secretary-General in Unity State Doctor Chuoryier Koryom said that the new SPLM members will have to go through orientation of the party’s rules and regulations for three months before they are fully accredited members of the SPLM.

“This is a time of development because war and development cannot go together but peace and development go together and under the leadership of SPLM chairman Dr. Monytuil there will be development in Unity State,” he said.

A member of the state SPLM Liberation Council Lam Tungwar Kueigwong confirmed that they had welcomed 120 new members from different political parties in the state.

“Of course, it is a registration because there are about 120 recruits from the different political parties who left their political parties and joined the SPLM mainstream,” Tungwar said.

He said the wave of new party members is a positive move and shows that the SPLM is rejuvenating while he welcomed everyone to join or rejoin his political outfit.