An influential South Sudanese opposition figure has criticized President Salva Kiir and former First Vice President turned rebel leader Riek Machar, saying the two men were opposed to democracy in the world’s youngest nation.

Lam Akol Ajawin, Chairman of South Sudan’s opposition National Democratic Movement (NDM), today launched a sharp attack on Kiir and Machar over their leadership style describing them as 'anti-democracy'.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Akol said the SPLM faction loyal to Kiir and Machar’s SPLM-IO group did not want to allow for a transitional government of technocrats for the sake of peace and stability in the country.

“Our opinion is that the transitional government must be led by a government of technocrats and all political parties including our party should be excluded during the transitional period.  All of us as political parties we wait for elections,” he said.

“Any transitional government bringing together Salva Kiir and Riek Machar will never lead to a democratic transition in the country,” he added.

Lam Akol, former agriculture minister in Kiir's administration, spoke out against the East African regional bloc IGAD saying it is supporting President Kiir at the expenses of South Sudanese people.

“You cannot mediate and at the same time you are siding with one of the parties, so there are many issues that are not clear,” he said.

Akol called on the international community to initiate a new inclusive peace process in order to find home-grown solutions to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan.