Kampala/Addis Ababa, July 9, 2018 (SSNA) — South Sudanese main rebel group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), has rejected a Uganda-drafted peace proposal, saying the deal is meant to accommodate politicians and that it ignores reforms championed by the armed opposition.
“The SPLM/SPLA (IO) rejected the proposal as it only focuses on accommodation of politicians and ignores the radical reforms needed in order to effect fundamental change in our country. The SPLM/SPLA (IO) is not waging a struggle for the position of First Vice President, we are waging a protracted struggle for the future of our country,” Mabior Garang de Mabior, the SPLM-IO National Committee Chairman for information and public relations said in a statement.
“The leadership of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) would like to inform our members and the people of South Sudan at large, that no agreement has been reached in Entebbe,” he added.
Mabior explains that Uganda proposal was only discussed verbally and that SPLM/A-IO chairman was not given the official proposal. Mabior also said SPLM-IO will not accept any shortcut to peace.
A South Sudanese political analyst described Kampala’s proposal as “Juba project.”
“Museveni is a known ally of Kiir. So he wants to maintain the same system. What he is doing is a Juba project and the SPLM-IO and other opposition groups will never support it,” Simon Koang Wech told the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday.
“The country is slowly burning to the ground because of Kiir’s leadership and Museveni wants rebels and other opposition parties to simply accept Kiir. This is like asking them to abandon what they have been fighting for the last four years,” Simon explained.
The South Sudan News Agency understands that Uganda’s proposed power-sharing deal maintains the current system of government and increases number of national ministers, parliamentarians, among others.