South Sudan's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) concluded its retreat in Tore County of Yei River State on Thursday.
The three-day event in Goli Payam was attended by Vice President, James Wani Igga, Yei River State governor, Emmanuel Anthony Adil, state ministers, MPs, county commissioners and other local officials.
The retreat, officials told Radio Tamazuj, focused on rejuvenating the ruling party as well as measuring achievements and challenges facing the SPLM party at the state, county, payam and boma levels.
While addressing reporters in the state on Saturday, Adil said the SPLM officials discussed how the party could redefine its approach to support the implementation of the revitalized peace deal and how best it could fix itself to promote good governance ahead of the upcoming political developments in the world’s youngest nation.
“The purpose of the retreat was for SPLM members to rejuvenate the party in the state, amid challenges facing the state and confront them as a united SPLM political organization because we are entering a new political dispensation where we are implementing the peace agreement with clear mapped strategies,” he said.
The governor, however, admitted that the ruling party is experiencing growing pressures from other political parties preparing to challenge it in the next general elections.
Meanwhile, Vice President James Wani Igga said the SPLM and the national government are committed to the full implementation of the revitalized peace deal.
Igga said he was, during the retreat, able to explain to party members why extension of the peace deal was necessary and presented strategies on developing new mechanisms to transform SPLM’s vision.
“In addition to the retreat, we explained to party members why extension of the pre-transitional period was done and also evaluated achievements and challenges facing the SPLM party and framed a new way forward in a transformed manner,” said Igga.
On May 3, South Sudan’s rival parties agreed on a six-month extension to implement next steps in the fragile peace agreement. The latest extension came after the main opposition group threatened to boycott formation of a unity government on May 12.