South Sudan’s main opposition party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), has appointed Stephen Par Kuol as its interim chairman.
This decision was made during a meeting in Juba on Wednesday, while First Vice President Riek Machar remains under house arrest.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit ordered Machar’s detention last month.
The opposition’s National Liberation Council nominated and approved Kuol, who serves as the minister of peacebuilding in the transitional unity government.
He will hold the interim chair position until Machar’s release.
Kuol affirmed the party’s dedication to advocating for the rights of all South Sudanese and fostering peace and unity.
The new interim chair announced the party’s disassociation from Nathaniel Oyet Pierino, the exiled deputy party leader.
Losuba Ludoru Wongo was approved as the deputy chairman, and Agok Makur Kur as the secretary-general.
Kuol emphasized that the party cannot be directed by exiled leaders and reaffirmed their commitment to the 2018 peace agreement as the path to lasting peace.
He also called for Machar’s immediate release. South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, has faced challenges in implementing the 2018 peace deal.
Recent tensions have escalated following clashes in Upper Nile state.
