Dr. Riek Machar leads South Sudan's SPLM-IO party, which recently protested President Salva Kiir's removal of their governor from Upper Nile State. President Kiir signed orders Wednesday kicking out James Odhok Oyay. He immediately picked Lt. Gen. James Koang Chuol as his replacement. The new appointee serves as SSPDF Assistant Chief for Training and Research.
The 2018 peace agreement gave SPLM-IO control over three states, including Upper Nile. Machar's party claims these actions undermine the already shaky peace deal. Puok Both Baluang spoke for Machar through an official statement. He called the president's move "another unilateral action and severe violation" of their peace agreement.
Baluang directly accused President Kiir's SPLM-IG party of breaking their promises. "It became clear the SPLM-IG stopped respecting the agreement," he stated. This marks the second time President Kiir removed an SPLM-IO governor recently. He previously fired Western Equatoria State Governor Gen. Alfred Futuyo on February 7, 2025.
The SPLM-IO has lost significant territory through these presidential decisions. They currently hold just one remaining state - Western Bahr el Ghazal. Emmanuel Okello continues serving as governor there. These changes have drastically reduced SPLM-IO influence across South Sudan. The peace agreement appears increasingly fragile as power shifts toward President Kiir's party.
The 2018 peace agreement gave SPLM-IO control over three states, including Upper Nile. Machar's party claims these actions undermine the already shaky peace deal. Puok Both Baluang spoke for Machar through an official statement. He called the president's move "another unilateral action and severe violation" of their peace agreement.
Baluang directly accused President Kiir's SPLM-IG party of breaking their promises. "It became clear the SPLM-IG stopped respecting the agreement," he stated. This marks the second time President Kiir removed an SPLM-IO governor recently. He previously fired Western Equatoria State Governor Gen. Alfred Futuyo on February 7, 2025.
The SPLM-IO has lost significant territory through these presidential decisions. They currently hold just one remaining state - Western Bahr el Ghazal. Emmanuel Okello continues serving as governor there. These changes have drastically reduced SPLM-IO influence across South Sudan. The peace agreement appears increasingly fragile as power shifts toward President Kiir's party.
