Mvolo County Commissioner Rubben Amaai Majok has announced his decision to switch allegiances from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) to rejoin the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
In a press briefing held in Yambio, the capital of Western Equatoria State, Commissioner Majok officially resigned from the SPLM-IO, citing his dissatisfaction with the opposition’s leadership. He declared his immediate departure from the SPLM-IO and expressed his recommitment to the SPLM.
Amid escalating political tensions, Majok accused his former party of being “confused, problematic, and tribalistic,” indicating his full alignment with the policies of the SPLM.
The implications of his defection on his position as Commissioner remain uncertain, as the peace agreement mandates the role to be held by the SPLM-IO.
The move was endorsed by Western Equatoria State’s Deputy Governor and Acting Governor, Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa, who praised Majok for his decision to join the ruling party, emphasizing the SPLM’s role in securing independence and promoting unity in South Sudan.
State Secretary for the SPLM, Manase Doboyi, highlighted a trend of opposition members defecting to the ruling party in Western Equatoria, indicating a strengthening of the SPLM’s presence in the region.
This defection follows another prominent switch earlier in the year when SPLA-IO Sector 6 Commander Major General Edward Razig Joseph and several soldiers joined the SPLM, signalling a movement towards peace and unity.
Despite the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in 2018, progress has been slow, particularly since the confinement of First Vice President Riek Machar in Juba in March 2025. Ongoing clashes and displacement of civilians have raised concerns about a resurgence of conflict in the region.
