Three fragmented factions of South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM) in the unity government have signed a new deal recommitting themselves to reunify the party to bring about peace in the country.
The new deal was signed in Entebbe, Uganda under the auspices of Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Uganda hosted the meeting from December 13 to 15.
The agreement, which bears names of SPLM-FDs in Juba leader Deng Alor, SPLM party representative Kuol Manyang and SPLM-IO representative Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, reaffirmed the rival factions’ commitment to cessation of ceasefire.
The three factions, in a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj, urged the warring parties to observe and recommit themselves to the cessation of hostilities.
It further said the reunified SPLM agreed to revisit the SPLM constitution and manifesto to ensure the SPLM redefine its ideological direction and agreed to ensure peace and security in the country and guarantee public safety and comprehensive security sector reform and professionalization of all security sector institutions to reflect national character.
The statement pointed out that the reunified SPLM factions recommitted themselves to support establishment of a comprehensive transitional justice mechanism and that the political bureau shall be restructured in a manner that ensures timely decision making, internal cohesion and collective decision making.
The factions noted that the reunified leadership will develop party code of ethics and disciplinary procedures to be applicable and upheld by all members irrespective of their positions.
The factions agreed to convene a national Liberation Council in Juba for the purpose of endorsing the Arusha agreement on the reunification matrix, according to the new deal.
President Salva Kiir, the statement said, will work with guarantors to provide security for those who need it.
Last month, the fragmented SPLM factions signed a unification deal to build trust in Egypt under the auspices of Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi and Museveni.