In a significant development, South Sudan’s parliament has appointed George Mabior Mayom as the acting chief whip of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), succeeding Farouk Gatkuoth Kam.
The announcement was made during a meeting of the parliamentary business committee on Thursday, which was chaired by the newly appointed First Deputy Speaker, Ambrose Lomin Pitia. This meeting aimed to outline the agenda for future parliamentary discussions.
Mayom is affiliated with the SPLM-IO faction led by Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol, which has committed to collaborating with the government and the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) to move forward with the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.
This shift follows a split in the SPLM-IO in April, when a faction led by Par Kuol declared its own leadership and announced a cooperative approach with the government to further the peace process.
Earlier this month, Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba appointed Pitia as the first deputy speaker, replacing Nathaniel Oyet Perino, who was loyal to the SPLM-IO faction aligned with suspended First Vice President Riek Machar.
Oyet was removed from his position in August by a presidential decree, which also annulled the appointments of Deng Deng Akon as speaker of the Council of States and Farouk Gatkuoth Kam as chief whip of the SPLM-IO.
Currently in self-imposed exile, Oyet continues to lead the SPLM-IO faction faithful to Machar, who was placed under house arrest in March. Last week, Machar was formally suspended by President Salva Kiir, facing accusations of treason and crimes against humanity linked to a militia attack on a military base in Nasir County.
The situation has intensified, with several senior SPLM-IO officials, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chuol and General Gabriel Duop Lam, the army’s deputy chief of general staff, being arrested in connection with the incident
- Latest
- Trending
