The leader of the SSDM Cobra Faction, who signed a peace agreement with the government in 2013, has officially joined the ruling party SPLM in Juba, in another sign of continuing efforts to integrate the former rebel group into the country’s government and army.
Yau Yau announced the move in a press conference today in Juba after talks with President Salva Kiir.
“Today are declaring that we have joined our mother party the SPLM for the sake of peace,” he said in Juba Arabic.
Some members of Yau Yau’s Cobra Faction were opposed to the appointment of the new governor of Boma State, Baba Medan, who hails from the area but was a member of SPLM and not the Cobra Faction. Yau Yau had been their favored candidate for the position but he was passed up. An official in the presidency told Radio Tamazuj last week that he would be offered a position in the national government instead.
The new governor is expected to travel to Pibor in coming days to name his state ministers, a source said.
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