President Salva Kiir has dismissed several high-ranking members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) from key positions in the national legislature, raising fresh concerns about the future of South Sudan’s fragile 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.
Those affected include Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, First Deputy Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) Deng Deng Akon, Speaker of the Council of States
Other officials are Hon. Faruk Gatkuoth, SPLM-IO Chief Whip in the TNLA and Gai Mayen Luk, Member of Parliament
The decision was announced in a presidential decree read on state television Tuesday night. Analysts and political observers say the move may signal a breakdown in the power-sharing arrangement that has held since the peace agreement was signed.
The President appointed replacements for the dismissed SPLM-IO members:
Council of States, Daniel Akot Akot and Wani Elia while Transitional National Legislative Assembly, John Oto Marino, Malong Achirin Ngor, Julia Simon Rial and Peter Charlaman were appointed
The SPLM-IO, led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, has not yet issued an official response. Machar has reportedly been under house arrest since March, following accusations by the government linking him to the conflict in Nasir — a claim SPLM-IO strongly denies.
In Machar’s absence, an interim leadership team headed by Hon. Stephen Par Kuol has been managing SPLM-IO’s affairs. However, peace guarantors, including regional and international actors, continue to push for Machar’s release and a return to the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement.
Speaking after a recent visit by a delegation from the African Union Peace and Security Council, President Kiir reiterated his commitment to implementing the 2018 peace accord. The AU delegation met with key stakeholders to assess progress and encourage the resumption of dialogue among the signatories.
Despite these developments, activists and observers warn that the removal of SPLM-IO lawmakers from strategic legislative roles undermines the trust and balance envisioned in the peace deal and could place the entire agreement at risk.
