The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) MP Malong Majok Yor has joined the SPLM party led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
The MP was welcomed to the SPLM party by acting secretary-general Peter Lam Both at his office in Juba on Tuesday.
The MP was appointed to the national legislative assembly on a SSOA ticket as part of the peace agreement. SSOA is the third principle signatory to the peace deal.
“I have returned home, I have returned to my friends in the SPLM party which liberated our country,” MP Malong said after meeting Mr Peter Lam Both.
Malong, a former member of SPLM, said he returned to the ruling party to work for the unity of the people of South Sudan. “The acting secretary-general has welcomed my return to the party,” he said.
When asked if he would tender his resignation from Parliament after defecting from SSOA, Malong said: “my position in the parliament is my right because I was one of the founders of SSOA, and I was one of the people who represented SSOA during peace negotiations.”
Henry Dwar Deng, a member of Parliament representing SPLM, said:” I am happy because my friend Malong Majok has returned to the party. We know that SSOA is not an enemy to the SPLM, so we welcome his return to the party as a strong SPLM cadre.”
Other SPLM officials present during Malong’s welcoming include Daniel Abucha Ali, chairperson of the SPLM youth league.
“On behalf of SPLM youth league, I welcome Comrade Malong to the party. I appreciate him for taking such a hold decision to rejoin SPLM. So we came to welcome him as SPLM youth league,” Abucha said.