A former South Sudanese minister has joined the country’s armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) led by Riek Machar.
Joseph Malual Dong, who previously served as Minister for Tourism and Wildlife and for Environment, Forestry and Fiscal Infrastructure in the Khartoum government, announced his latest move on Monday.
Malual joined the armed opposition with politicians such as former Lakes State Minister for Agriculture, Elia Magok, former Lakes State Legislative Assembly member, Andrew Machiek and Emmanuel Malual Ater, a South Sudanese advocate and legal consultant.
Other new members include Ms Salma Mubarak and Abraham Maluok.
The SPLM-IO, in a brief statement extended to Radio Tamazuj, hailed Malual and his group for joining the armed opposition movement.
“The leadership of the SPLM/A (IO) would like to seize this precious opportunity to announce to its members and the public at large that Joseph Malual Dong together with other five political leaders from Rumbek Federal State have joined the SPLM/A (IO) on 1/4/ 2019”, partly reads the statement bearing the name of Puok Both Baluang, the armed opposition’s director for information and public relations.
Hailing from South Sudan’s Greater Lakes region, Malual was the chairman of United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF) party. He becomes the region’s most high profile politician to join the SPLM-IO.