The United Sudan African Party (USAP) on Sunday ended operations and shut its office in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, as its chairman and other members joined the ruling SPLM party.
A total of 1,634 individuals from different political parties operating in the Western Bahr el Ghazal State including USAP, ANC, and SPLM-IO switched allegiance to the SPLM party at the latter’s office in Wau.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, USAP’s former chairman in Wau, Santino Uyu Madiay, who led the group of defectors, said he left the party because the head office in Juba has not cooperated with the state branch since the death of the party founder, Joseph Ukell Abang.
“The reason why we joined the SPLM is because there were some people in SPLM who earlier urged us to stand with them but in the past, we told them that we were still studying the work of our office in Juba,” he explained. “Unfortunately, we came to understand that nothing was going on and our (USAP) people in Juba were not cooperating with us in the state and this is why we decided to quit the party.”
“Since our chairman died, none of our leaders in Juba has told us what to do and secondly, many of our members left the party long ago and we were only a few left so we took a decision to close the office,” Uyu added.
Meanwhile, Regina Edward Dimo, the former USAP women’s league chairperson who also threw in her lot with the SPLM, said she defected because USAP and SPLM worked together and had the same mission and vision and that it was the right time to join the latter.
“I finally joined SPLM on Sunday. I was in USAP but I decided to join the SPLM which is the leading party,” she said. “I have worked with USAP since 2004 before the signing of the CPA and we were working inside as USAP with the same vision and mission as SPLM.”
Dimo said she can do more for her community within the SPLM party and also prepare for the elections slated for the end of 2024.
On her part, the SPLM State Secretary Viola Alexzander Umili, welcomed the new members, saying that the party will accommodate all of them.
“Yesterday (Sunday), we had a very big event at which we received 1,634 new members who joined the SPLM party from the SPLM-IO, USAP, and ANC,” she said. “I welcome the new members who have just joined us and urge them to feel at home in the SPLM. My message to them is that SPLM is our home and a party that can provide services to the people of South Sudan.”
According to Umili, the door of the state SPLM office is always open to new members.
President Salva Kiir, who doubles as the SPLM party chairperson, is expected in Wau tomorrow 27 June.