JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — President Salva Kiir, in his capacity as the SPLM Chairman, held a high-level meeting with senior party leaders on Friday to address the current political landscape and map out a new strategic direction for the ruling party.
The leadership convened to “take stock” of the situation and focused their deliberations on strengthening the SPLM’s position by addressing key political, economic, and social agendas, according to SPLM Secretary General Professor Paul Logale Jumi.
“We are committed to driving party cohesion and national development to benefit the people of South Sudan,” Logale told the press after the meeting.
The urgent meeting came just days after Nhial Deng Nhial, a long-time senior SPLM leader and former close ally of President Kiir, quit the ruling party to launch a new political force, the South Sudan Salvation Movement.
Nhial, formerly a member of the SPLM Political Bureau, sharply criticised the current party leadership for “abandoning the founding vision of Dr John Garang” and accused them of dismantling the SPLM vision.
He further charged the government with blocking elections and violating peace agreements to stay in power through term extensions.
Nhial called on the public to mobilize for a “second liberation” to pressure the government into holding “free and fair elections before the end of 2026.”
Attended by the party’s top brass—including First Deputy Chairman Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, Second Deputy Chairperson Mary Apai, Third Deputy Chairperson Simon Kun Puoch, Secretary General Professor Paul Logale Jumi, and Second Deputy Secretary General Baba Medan Kalonyeli.
The Friday meeting signals the SPLM’s immediate push to unify its ranks and counter the challenge posed by its former senior member.
