The former political detainees, who also describe themselves as SPLM leaders group, have unveiled a new proposal advocating for departure of President Salva Kiir and former vice president turned rebel leader Riek Machar from South Sudan politics.

SPLM-FDs is a faction made up of senior party officials who were detained when the conflict began in December 2013.

The opposition group, in a statement dated 15 October 2017, depicted Kiir and Machar as the main protagonists whose actions are holding the country hostage out of fears of being held accountable for the crimes their forces committed during the current civil war.

“An exit strategy will comprise a package that offers (1) asylum for the two in a willing country or countries, (2) amnesty for specified crimes committed (crimes against humanity, human rights crimes and crime under international humanitarian law) from 15 December, 2013 to the end of the transition or date of the deal, with conditions attached and (3) reasonable financial incentives that assure them of decent living in exile,” partly reads the statement.

“To persuade them to give the matter serious thought, this offer must be backed by credible threat of force,” adds the statement.

The exit proposal also proposes the formation of three alternate governments if the exit package strategy for the two main rival leaders fails.

It proposes the formation of executive of technocrats comprising of professionals, academics, trade unions doctors, university academic staff, civil society, law society and doctors’ union, as the preferred option.

The second option is Hybrid Executive comprising of technocrats and politicians. The third choice is National Unity Executive comprising wide-base political representation. No one or two political parties or formations should have overwhelming weight in the Executive.

The new alternate government, if formed, will have a new legislature, nominated and counties, whose numbers shall not exceed 200 in the National Legislative Assembly and not more than 30 in the Council of States, three from each of the 10 states.

Government officials and SPLM-IO members allied to rebel leader Riek Machar could not be reached immediately for comment.

The governing party of South Sudan fractured in December 2013, leading to the ongoing civil war that has killed tens of thousands and forced millions to seek refugees in neighbouring countries.