The current status of the Arusha Accord on the re-unification of the SPLM factions
3 min readBy Gordon Buay Malek, Juba, South Sudan
Dear all,
May 29, 2016 (SSB) — There are members of the Diaspora who want me to brief them about the status of the Arusha Agreement following the visit of South Africa delegation. Indeed, South African ruling party leaders visited Juba 20 days ago to speed up the implementation of the Arusha Agreement. In fact, the implementation of Arusha Agreement commenced in early January this year when the unified SPLM conducted an extraordinary Convention to pass the basic documents of the party.
What was supposed to follow the adoption of the SPLM Constitution and other documents, was the arrival of Dr. Riek Machar in Juba to assume his party position as the 1st Chairman of the unified SPLM. Until then, the SPLM leadership is waiting for Dr. Riek Machar to write a formal letter to the chairman of the SPLM expressing his willingness to assume his party role. Afterwards, the chairman of the party would issue a party Decree reinstating him to his previous position before the war.
What delays Dr. Riek Machar is the division within the SPLM-IO over the Arusha. The IO members of the Greater Upper Nile are totally willing to return to the SPLM to pledge their unwavering allegiance to Chairman, Cde Kiir Mayardit. However, IO members of Equatoria and Bahr-el-Ghazal do not want to return to the SPLM Party and are calling for the formation of a new party.
I want to inform the Diaspora that Dr. Riek Machar and all IO leaders from Greater Upper Nile have completely accepted to return to SPLM without conditions. Dr. Riek set aside the IO resolutions of Pagak and called for the implementation of the Arusha in letter and spirit. He categorically told IO members of Bahr-el-Ghazal and Equatoria to accept the reality and acknowledge that Chairman Kiir Mayardit would be the flag bearer of the party in 2019 election.
I want the Diaspora to know that Dr. Riek Machar accepted in principle that the flag bearer of the unified SPLM in 2019 is Cde Salva Kiir Mayardit. Dr. Riek will NOT run in 2019. He will wait until Chairman Kiir retires from politics in 2029.
The Diaspora should know that Dr. Riek Machar will soon declare his return to the SPLM led by Cde Salva Kiir Mayardit. Members of the Diaspora should not waste their times listening to IO losers from Aweil and Equatoria. Those individuals who are against the SPLM reunification didn’t have any positions in the party before the conflict of 2013. The Diaspora should not worry about IO members who are against reunification.
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