A leading member of South Sudan’s Communist Party has criticized the National Dialogue called for by President Salva Kiir.

In a press statement on Thursday in Juba, Ismail Suleiman, a member of the Central Committee of the South Sudanese Communist Party, said Kiir’s National Dialogue is similar to the previous dialogue launched by South Sudan government in 2014 which he said had failed to unite all political parties in the country.

Suleiman further said President Kiir’s dialogue will not achieve its objectives. He called for the formation of a preparatory committee that includes other political parties in the country, saying the current committee comprises of members representing the ruling party only.

Suleiman pointed out that those who participated in the Addis Ababa peace talks before implementation of the signed peace deal must be included in the process. The leading member of the opposition group asked the current government not to be the patron of the dialogue initiative.

Photo: Secretary General of South Sudan’s Communist Party Joseph Modesto