A group of 18 senior members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) Political Bureau in Juba issued a statement Monday disowning an interim leadership faction led by Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol and reaffirming their allegiance to detained leader Riek Machar.
The statement, signed by prominent figures including Interior Minister Angelina Teny, Mining Minister Martin Abucha, and Energy Minister Peter Marcello, marks the first collective response from Machar loyalists in nearly two months since his arrest on March 26. The group dismissed Par Kuol’s April 9 declaration as interim chairman as “null and void,” insisting Machar remains the party’s sole legitimate leader.
“We reiterate that SPLM/A (IO) has not had a change of leadership; it is still headed by Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, with the rest of the structures intact,” the statement read.
It condemned Par Kuol’s move as a “defection” and rejected attempts to fragment the party into factions.
The rift deepened after Par Kuol, backed by a faction including Federal Affairs Minister Lasuba Wango, claimed interim leadership, citing the need to advance the 2018 peace agreement during Machar’s detention. President Salva Kiir’s backed peace implementation committee endorsed Par Kuol’s group on May 9, further polarizing the party.
The Machar-aligned bureau members also addressed the broader political crisis, urging dialogue between President Salva Kiir and detained First Vice President Riek Machar to de-escalate tensions and demanding the “immediate and unconditional release” of Machar and other detained SPLM-IO leaders.
The group called on international actors, including the African Union and United Nations, to pressure the government to resume stalled implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
Despite rising tensions, the statement directed SPLM-IO members in government to continue their duties while warning against “intimidation” of party supporters.
The SPLM-IO Political Bureau comprises 28 members, but some have fled Juba amid fears for their security following Machar’s arrest over alleged involvement in violence in Nasir on March 4.
