
“Four senior members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) have been suspended from the party, as well as from their ministerial and parliamentary roles, for backing the SPLM-IG and actively seeking to replace Riek Machar as the party leader, according to a statement released Monday” (CTGN Africa, 07.04.2025).
Today in Juba, the SPLM-IG and J1 should celebrate that their tactics and strategies are working. They are dismantling and destroying the SPLM-IO. Last time they were able to get to get Taban Deng Gai as a FVP and ensure a weakened SPLM-IO. Now with the continued incarceration and house-arrest of Dr. Riek Machar is hurting the party.
The SPLM-IG with President Salva Kiir Mayardit and VP Benjamin Bol Mel are both doing this. As they have tried to keep the African Union Panel of Wise busy and also held talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. All of that is going nowhere, but the captives are now encircling themselves.
The IG is directly trying to consolidate power and weakening the biggest opponent. That’s why they are using the IO and trying to get them as a part of the IG. This is their endgame, and they want the IO to defect to IG. Anything else seems naïve and not sincere about the realities in South Sudan. That’s why the IO is targeted and being hunted down.
This is bleak but what the IG is doing. Today’s action of IO is a victory of IG. The IG is getting ahead, and the IO is becoming weaker. Not only as their leader is house arrested, but others are kept behind bars too. Several have fled and others are in hiding. As well, as there is clearly someone who would be willing to betray and sell their future on the bill of promises of the IG. That shouldn’t be shocked, as they would get a deal and an agreement, which would be beneficial for them.
Today Kiir and Bol Mel can be giddy as their powerplay is giving results. They are winning by their tarnishing and destroying the IO. That’s what we are seeing here. The IG is getting ahead and are weakening the IO in the open. The ones believing the IG cares about the R-ARCSS or trying to adhere to it. They are also naïve, because the recent play is all about consolidating power and weakening the opposition. Nothing else can be said and they have help from the “Silent Guardian” of Kampala to save them too. Peace.















