Congratulating New Leadership: Party Leadership Matters in Forging a New South Sudan
By Ater Garang Ariath, Juba, South Sudan
Wednesday, 21 May 2025 (PW) — I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our newly appointed SPLM senior leaders: Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel Kuol as First Deputy Chairman, Comrade Mary Apayi Ayiga as Second Deputy Chairman, and Comrade Simon Kun Puoc as Third Deputy Chairman. Their appointment by our Chairman, General Salva Kiir Mayardit, represents a significant step forward in strengthening our party’s governance structure.
I also wish to honor our former deputy chairmen and veteran leaders—General James Wani Igga, General Daniel Awet Akot, and General Kuol Manyang Juk—as they transition to providing guidance and mentorship to our emerging party leaders. As young SPLM leaders, we are deeply grateful for your selfless contributions during the liberation struggle that secured our independence. The stories and memories you have shared with our generation will continue to inspire us.
Under these circumstances, we must recognize that no one understands our challenges better than we do. While recent party changes are essential, they require wholehearted support from all SPLM structures at every level. National unity rests with our historical party, the SPLM. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for all members and supporters to rally behind our newly appointed officials and our chairman in this decisive moment of SPLM rejuvenation.
Personally, I believe the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) remains the only viable rallying point for our unity as a nation. Our new SPLM leaders must redouble their efforts to cooperate with the masses and maintain our political standing as we work toward building a prosperous South Sudanese society.
In constructing a modern, prosperous South Sudanese society and achieving common prosperity, we must balance various critical relationships, break down entrenched barriers, combat poverty, implement comprehensive reforms, and fully establish the rule of law. Internal party dialogue, initiated by our newly installed officials, is essential for moving our party toward its vision.
As a steadfast SPLM member, I have consistently maintained that the SPLM and South Sudan are inseparable—the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement is South Sudan, and South Sudan is the SPLM. When South Sudanese abandon the SPLM, they effectively abandon South Sudan as a sovereign state.
A grave responsibility rests on our shoulders as members of this historical party. We must explore every possible avenue for party construction while maintaining strict adherence to our disciplines and rules. The SPLM, as the historical party of the Republic of South Sudan, serves as the primary rallying point for our political activities both locally and internationally.
I call upon all nationalists and patriotic South Sudanese to mobilize their resources behind the SPLM so the party can realize its mission and ideology within our independent state. I firmly believe in our capacity as SPLM members to create the necessary conditions for abundance and national pride.
Without the SPLM, there would be no force through which good leaders could address the needs and desires of the South Sudanese people. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement will be that force if we return to our party’s vision and mission.
As members bound by national duty and citizens of this great nation, we should focus on activities that unite us rather than engaging in unconstructive criticism. The common people of South Sudan desperately seek the revitalization of their historical party, which secured independence both at home and abroad.
We must work together for our party’s rejuvenation by offering constructive criticism while avoiding party-initiated conflicts in the country. Our leadership must define its position on party unity, honestly discuss obstacles and impediments, and ensure proper guarantees are in place for intra-party dialogue.
There is an urgent need for SPLM leadership to organize a political symposium on the importance of political parties in building stable peace and security. The future of South Sudan as a sovereign state depends entirely on the SPLM. We must explore and assess the intentions of other political entities regarding unity, love, and peace among our people.
Meaningful debates should focus on reversing current trends that have plunged our nation into senseless wars. The proposed symposium should address governance issues and national identity that all South Sudanese political parties must respect as national characteristics.
The fragmentation of the SPLM into multiple political parties can only be prevented by returning our beloved historical party to its original objectives and ideology. Party leadership structures need reorganization, promoting dedicated cadres who understand the party’s mission to leadership positions.
The unity of the SPLM as the country’s largest political force equals the unity of the South Sudanese people. This unity represents our only hope for avoiding another surge of violence within the party system, as occurred in 2013. That party conflict widened gaps among warring communities and created a volatile political atmosphere filled with mutual accusations, as each SPLM faction blamed others for leading the country back to war.
The entire party must establish strong political consciousness, situational awareness, core leadership recognition, and conformity consciousness. This will ensure alignment with the Political Bureau in ideology, politics, and conduct while observing critical directives from our chairman.
Moving forward proudly together as the SPLM family will secure our nation’s future and honor the sacrifices made for our independence.
The author, Ater Garang Ariath, is a South Sudanese journalist, leadership and communication consultant living in the Republic of South Sudan. Contact: atergarang452@gmail.com
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