South Sudan’s newly appointed Vice President, Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, has called on all parties to the country’s 2018 peace agreement, including First Vice President and SPLM/A-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar, to adopt urgent security measures in a bid to salvage the faltering deal.
The 2018 peace agreement, signed by President Salva Kiir, Dr. Machar, and other leaders to end five years of civil war, has seen delayed implementation amid ongoing violence. Key provisions, such as drafting a permanent constitution, unifying armed forces, and holding elections, remain unfulfilled.
Speaking on Wednesday at the state burial of the late Lt. Gen. David Majur Dak, Vice President Bol, who was appointed last month, stressed that accelerating security arrangements was crucial to the peace process. He called for SPLA-IO forces and other groups to relocate to three designated areas—Malakal, Owinykibul, and Rumbek—to facilitate the unification of the military. He also pledged government support for transportation to these locations.
“Riek Machar should peacefully order his forces to move if we need peace,” he said.
“Yes, we need peace, but achieving it requires significant effort. Peace can be pursued through negotiations, but if that fails, it may need to be enforced,” he added.
Bol, a close ally of President Kiir, also demanded that Machar renounce ties to the White Army militia and relinquish his title as SPLA-IO commander-in-chief. “I also asked the international community that Riek Machar remove the title of commander-in-chief of the SPLA-IO. There should be only one commander-in-chief,” he said, adding, “We need one army, not two… All [forces] must dissolve into the SSPDF.”
He accused the SPLA-IO of undermining peace and security in the town of Nasir in Upper Nile State. “We are joking with the country… In [a] presidency meeting, we ended up deceiving one another,” he said.
Bol also claimed Machar had misled him over delegating troop responsibilities in Nasir County and accused detained Petroleum Minister Puot Kang of lying about de-escalating violence before a March 4 attack on the SSPDF by the White Army in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
He asserted that the army was stronger than ever, calling on all irregular forces to surrender unconditionally to the nearest South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) barracks.
Bol, a member of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), urged immediate compliance from armed groups, including the opposition SPLM-IO and the White Army. “I need all forces to report to our barracks. My party is the leading party in the country, and I ask this to be implemented immediately at the level of SPLM-IO or the White Army because they are no different,” Bol said. “This must be done voluntarily to prevent the country from sliding back into war.”
He warned that security forces would enforce disarmament without exception. “We don’t want anyone moving with guns. This will be done by security organs without any failure,” he stated.
Bol specifically addressed armed groups in Nasir, cautioning that security forces would monitor and act against any armed movements. “Our security organs have the capacity to see you if you are moving with guns. Anybody blocking troops going to Nasir should be considered terrorists,” he said.
Regarding detained SPLM-IO officials, Bol said that investigations would be conducted to ensure justice is served. “There should be an investigation to establish those involved in the Nasir case. We will start with the parties and their representatives or vice presidents. Justice will take its course, even if you are a vice president,” he said.
The vice president’s speech sparked sharp divisions on social media, with many users criticizing the remarks as potentially escalating tensions during a fragile political period. Others, however, praised the statement as a necessary step toward implementing peace.