Author: Obaj Okuj | Published: 11 hours ago
Honourable Joseph Malwal, the SPLM-IO Focal Person in Juba – Courtesy
JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — The SPLM-IO focal person, Joseph Malwal, has accused the government of “deceiving the people” after the main opposition party was excluded from a high-level meeting with the visiting African Union C5 delegation.
On Wednesday, the government of South Sudan released a statement about hosting the second Joint Ministerial Meeting on Wednesday with the African Union Ad Hoc High-Level Committee for South Sudan (C5).
According to South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry, Minister Monday Semaya K. Kumba hosted the AU C5 delegation following their arrival on Wednesday, January 14, for a two-day mission to evaluate the progress of the 2018 peace agreement and 2026 elections.
However, Joseph Malwal, the SPLM-IO Focal Person in Juba, stated that the party’s absence from the crucial meeting was not a choice, but a result of what he termed “deliberate exclusion” by the administration of President Salva Kiir.
Speaking to Eye Radio on Thursday, January 15, Malwal accused the government of deceiving both the public and the international community regarding its commitment to inclusive dialogue.
He claimed the government is intentionally substituting the main SPLM-IO wing under Dr Riek Machar with breakaway factions to create a false impression of consensus.
“The government has always been using groups that broke away from us—such as the Stephen Par group—to represent the SPLM-IO in our place,” Malwal said.
“We were not invited. This was through government instruction; they requested that the delegation not meet us. We did not attend because the government ensured we were kept away.”
Malwal further criticized the international community for endorsing discussions he believes are being tightly controlled by a single party, warning that such a lack of inclusivity undermines the spirit of the peace process.
The boycott comes as the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan (C5)—comprising Algeria, Chad, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa—concludes the first leg of its mission.
Led by South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, the delegation is in Juba to evaluate the status of the Revitalised Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS) and assess the nation’s readiness for the December 2026 general elections.
The C5 mechanism was specifically designed by the African Union to engage directly with all peace stakeholders to build a broad-based consensus. However, the exclusion of the main opposition faction raises significant questions about the mission’s ability to achieve a balanced assessment.
Despite the friction, Malwal maintained that the SPLM-IO under Dr. Riek Machar remains committed to the peace roadmap, though he accused the government of “fear and avoidance” in facing legitimate opposition voices.
As the C5 delegation continues its review, the growing skepticism from the SPLM-IO regarding the inclusivity and fairness of the process poses a new challenge to the implementation of the R-ARCSS and the stability of the transition toward the 2026 polls.
